A few people have asked about my recent trip to Disney World with my daughter and her family.
“Did you have a favorite ride?”
Honestly?
My favorite memory didn’t involve a ride at all.
It happened at the aquarium in Epcot.
Our almost two-year-old granddaughter was completely captivated. She ran from one exhibit to the next, pointing excitedly at the manatees, sea turtles, and colorful fish.
Every few seconds she’d stop, point, and exclaim,
“Wow!”
Then she’d run to the next window.
“Wow!”
And the next.
“Wow!”
She wasn’t thinking about what came next on the itinerary or how long we’d waited to get there. She was simply enjoying the wonder of discovering something new.
As I watched her, I realized how differently children experience the world.
They don’t assume.
They notice.
They ask questions.
They’re amazed by things the rest of us have stopped seeing.
It made me think about communication.
Many of my clients are incredibly smart people. They’re experts in engineering, finance, medicine, technology, and leadership. They know their subject inside and out.
Sometimes, though, they’re so close to what they know that they forget what it feels like to see it through someone else’s eyes.
Instead of creating understanding, they unintentionally overwhelm people with information.
One of the most valuable things I can do as a coach is bring a fresh set of eyes.
I can never know their business as well as they do—but that’s actually an advantage. I experience their message much like their audience does. I notice where I become confused, where I want an example, where I have questions, and where I start to lose interest.
Together, we look at their message through the eyes of the people they’re trying to reach.
What does your audience already know?
What don’t they know?
What do they care about?
When we answer those questions, something powerful happens. The message becomes clearer. Simpler. More memorable.
That’s when ideas begin to land.
Maybe before we can help others say, “Wow,” we simply need to look at our message with fresh eyes.