{"id":50,"date":"2019-11-05T16:20:02","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T21:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=50"},"modified":"2021-07-02T17:37:46","modified_gmt":"2021-07-02T21:37:46","slug":"2-4-style-vs-substance","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/chapter\/2-4-style-vs-substance\/","title":{"raw":"2.6 Style vs. Substance","rendered":"2.6 Style vs. Substance"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>To discuss what communication \u2018style\u2019 is, and how different elements of style can either help or hinder your communication.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>To provide examples of how communication style was beneficial for or detrimental to a communication.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-583 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-989x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"155\" \/>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhen you are having a conversation with someone or listening to them speak, how much do elements like their tone of voice and body language impact your level of interest as well as your interpretation of what they are saying? A lot! This holds true for science communication. Specifically, there are two key elements to your message: the substance (i.e., the objective components that we have discussed thus far) and the style. Style is the subjective component of the message. It is the one most often ignored by communicators, but it can be more important than substance when it comes to engaging an audience. Below we look into some elements that you can use to develop the style aspect of your messaging.\r\n<h1>Harnessing the power of emotion<\/h1>\r\nIf you are smart about building emotion into your message you will significantly increase your reach and impact. <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.gov.bc.ca\/psc\/CHIPSPLM\/viewredirect\/pQzUdYlA8vB_vXBC8LpyochXJf4GUo8Xu2o.HhtdWJc5.TLPDfQnJMmu0zHQHJ3IfVkh4zt2Aohi9ZQjxyG0V5k-\/LMCERTCMP.pdf\">Randy Olson<\/a> (scientist turned filmmaker) is the guru in this area. We particularly like his \u201cFour Organs Theory\u201d for mass communication. In a nutshell, he says that there are four \u2018organs\u2019 in the human body that can \u2018receive\u2019 messaging and each is receptive to a different type of message. The brain responds to facts and knowledge, the heart responds to sincerity, drama and passion, the gut responds to humour, and the \u2018lower organs\u2019 (you know what they are!) respond to sex appeal. Olson argues that as you move away from the head and towards the \u2018lower\u2019 organs you are able to reach more and more people. That being said, you do need to match the emotion to the content, otherwise your message will fall flat or backfire.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Effective uses of emotion<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc\">BC SPCA\u2019s advertising campaign featuring Sarah McLachlan<\/a> is one of the best uses of heart-focused messaging out there. While use of humor can be effective as in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FQ9Xpzi4qkU\">British Airways safety video<\/a> or this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=82yZVB7IDlE\">Got Milk<\/a> ad.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" \/>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_544\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"600\"]<a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-544\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions.png\" alt=\"A brain and heart are shown connected. The brain represents critical thinking and fact, the heart represents emotional response.\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a> Effective messaging will harness emotions, and can often balance between facts and feeling.[\/caption]\r\n<h1>Spontaneity<\/h1>\r\nThis is a word that is feared by most scientists engaged in communication. This is because spontaneity is usually associated with unpredictability and a lack of control. However, this lack of predictability is exactly why spontaneous events, gestures, and speech are so appealing to humans! Society\u2019s thirst for spontaneity is evidenced by the rise in everything from reality television to social media \u2014 our collective obsession with Donald Trump\u2019s spontaneous Twitter rants being a prime example.\r\n\r\nThat being said, Donald Trump is probably the posterchild for spontaneity gone wrong. So how do you get it right? There are a couple of tools that you can add to your tool belt:\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Shift your focus<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><span class=\"pullquote-right\">'Audiences don\u2019t want to see you act \u2013 running through preprogrammed performances that are identical. They want to see you react \u2014 taking in what I said to you by other actors and listening to their words \u2014 and showing the audiences how they affect you.' \u2013 Randy Olson<\/span>If you are focused on making yourself look good then there is no room for you to be spontaneous. Instead, you need to focus outward \u2014 on moving the message forward. How you do this will vary depending on the context. For example, if you are doing an interview or responding to a question from a stakeholder, avoid saying or doing things that will shut down the conversation or make the other person look bad. Instead, try to find a creative way to connect what they are saying to your message. It can often be a matter of just finding a word or phrase (a \u2018pearl\u2019) that you can use to keep the conversation flowing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Internalize your message<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Know your message so well that it is just a part of you. If you are having to think too much about what you are going to say you will not be able to be spontaneous. Knowing your core message is what is important \u2014 not knowing all the details or facts. Once you trust that you own your message, you need to give yourself permission to \u2018go with the flow\u2019 of the medium in which you are communicating. Even if you are not 100% factually correct, people will still \u2018get it\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Be present<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Spontaneity is usually a reaction to some external stimulus \u2014 a stimulus that you need to be receptive to. For example, if you are giving a media interview, you need to really listen to the questions being asked and not spend that time rehearsing lines in your head. Reacting is engaging, acting is fake and annoying.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h1>Don\u2019t be so literal minded \u2014 Randy Olson<\/h1>\r\nThis is another element of style that Randy Olson really has down pat. He has identified that there is a spectrum of messaging styles \u2018from boringly blunt to incomprehensively elusive.\u2019 Scientists tend towards the former (just pound people with the facts) while we personally feel that modern art exemplifies the latter (is there anyone who knows what <a href=\"http:\/\/damienhirst.com\/artworks\/catalogue\">Damien Hirst<\/a> is trying to tell us). Advertisers, on the other hand, are in the business of finding the perfect balance.\r\n\r\nBasically, you need to think about developing a style that will catch and hold people\u2019s attention \u2014 something that is hard to do on either end of the spectrum.\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>The Clio Awards<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIf you want to see some great examples of non-literal messaging, look at the recipients of the <a href=\"https:\/\/clios.com\/awards\/winners?year=2019&amp;trophy=all\">2019 Clio awards<\/a> for outstanding advertising. Just think about how the impact of those ads would have changed if they had simply described their products. Sure, they probably could have added more information using a more literal style, but I think you can agree that they got their point across.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" \/>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Discussion<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Arouse and Fulfill \u2013 Randy Olson<\/strong>\r\n\r\nThis is a great mantra for life in general, but one that particularly comes in handy when it comes to communication. (It is also called \u2018motivate then educate\u2019 but that is not as catchy.) Basically, it is one way to combine style and substance to get your message across. You start your communication with something interesting, flashy, funny, entertaining, emotional, etc. that will catch your audience\u2019s attention and then you fulfill or satisfy their interest with the substance. This can be done within a communication (i.e., by starting off a written communication with a compelling anecdote) or by combining communications (i.e., a promotional film that directs people to an educational website).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h1>Likability<\/h1>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--sidebar textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>White Coat Black Art\u2026of liability?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWe find CBC\u2019s house doctor, Dr. Peter Lin to be so, so, so likable and we think it is because he manages to be an expert without being condescending. Google him and listen to some of the clips of him on the radio.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nCan you think of someone that really, really grates on you? Maybe it is a relative, a co-worker, a TV personality, or a politician. Now imagine they tell you something like \u201cYou should really be taking this multivitamin\u201d. What would you be thinking and feeling? Now imaging that your best friend or spouse says the same thing, would your reaction be different? Probably.\r\n\r\nThis is all about likability. If people don\u2019t like you they probably will not listen to you. The good news is that you can learn to be likable, because most of the major predictors of likability are behavioural.\r\n\r\nHere are some tips and tricks:\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Don\u2019t be condescending<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">If your verbal or non-verbal communication comes across as arrogant in any way, then that is going to be a huge turn off. This might seem obvious but it can be very tricky to balance conveying your expertise without acting like you\u2019re superior to your audience.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Don\u2019t take the bait<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">I often tell my 5-year-old \u2018The only person that you can control is yourself\u2019. And the ability to exhibit self-control is a highly likable trait. You will undoubtedly encounter detractors during your career and your impulse will be to attack them using your preferred weapons of verbal destruction \u2014 sarcasm, anger, defensiveness, whatever. Whatever you feel like doing in the heat of the moment, you should probably do the opposite. Can you make a joke? Can you exhibit empathy to their point of view? If you can completely change the tone of the interchange then you will come off as very likeable\u2026maybe even to your opponent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Check your negativity at the door<\/h2>\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Let\u2019s face it, science education is essentially systematic training in negativity. This perspective is rooted the moment we learn about hypothesis testing (i.e., your sole goal in life is to systematically falsify and reject a never ending series of null hypotheses). Negativity works very well for the scientific process but can be very unlikable in the realm of communication. For your audience, a good rant can be engaging, but it is sort of like a big cupcake with lot of icing \u2014 <span class=\"pullquote-left\">'You meet scientists who have lost control of this negating approach to the world and seem to sit and stew in their overly critical festering juices of negativity, which can reduce down to a thick, gooey paste of cynicism.' \u2013 Randy Olson<\/span>they might enjoy the decadent, guilty pleasure of the first one, but being forced to consume them over and over again will probably result in nausea and vomiting. This does not mean that you should abandon the critical side of your nature. Too much positivity can also be annoying. Rather, it means that, where possible, you should try to weave positivity into your message. It is a strong motivator for people to do something.\u00a0 Additionally, creating a balance between the positive and the negative can provide texture and interest to a communication.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n\r\n<strong>Think about the impact behind the tone of these two statements regarding vaccine hesitancy:<\/strong>\r\n\r\n\u201cThere are people out there who are worried about vaccine safety. These fears are a result of propaganda and misinformation stemming from a fraudulent study. This is resulting in decreased vaccination rates that make children vulnerable to potentially life-threatening diseases. It is difficult to believe that Canadians would choose to not vaccinate their children when there are so many kids who are dying overseas because their parents are not able to access vaccines.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cThere are people out there who are worried about vaccine safety. This is completely understandable. All parents want to keep their kids safe. The good news is that all the scientific evidence shows that vaccines are very, very safe and very, very good at protecting children from a number of diseases. The better news is that all Canadian children have free access to vaccines, so vaccination is something that all Canadian parents can do to protect their children.\u201d\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Talk less and listen more<\/h2>\r\nWhen you think about the mythologic gurus who people seek out to gain some profound knowledge \u2014 are they the types to run off at the mouth? No way! Think of Yoda or Gandalf. They sit there in silence deeply absorbing all the information from the world around them and then, after a loaded pause they come up with some profound and extremely concise comment that provides enlightenment. When Yoda talks, people listen. There must be something to this, otherwise how could a diminutive green humanoid with dopey ears and bizarre sentence structure become a paragon of wisdom in our collective social consciousness?\r\n<h2>Find your own voice<\/h2>\r\nScientists are trained to write in a very sterile, cerebral, and impersonal manner. But this style is intensely unlikeable outside of scientific journals (and often in science journals as well). Humans connect to other humans and the good news is that, even though you are a scientist, you are, in fact, also a human. You need to find a way to bring personality and humanity into your communication, but do this in a way that is comfortable and authentic to you.\r\n<h1>Takeaways<\/h1>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Takeaway Tweet<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">\"It is hard to communicate from the Academic Ivory Tower. Want to climb back down? Here are a few tips: do not be condescending (use less jargon), highlight the positive (use tone), and let your personality shine (use humour). #LeaveTheIvoryTower #riskcom\"<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">- Nilou Ghaseminejad-Tafreshi<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\"><header class=\"textbox__header\">\r\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Communication style will determine how people receive your message, for that reason your communications plan cannot rely on substance alone.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Good and effective communication style requires you to forgo some of the stodgy and sterile characteristics that make for good science. Things like spontaneity and likeability go a long way.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox textbox--learning-objectives\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Learning Objectives<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>To discuss what communication \u2018style\u2019 is, and how different elements of style can either help or hinder your communication.<\/li>\n<li>To provide examples of how communication style was beneficial for or detrimental to a communication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-583 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-989x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-989x1024.png 989w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-290x300.png 290w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-768x795.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-65x67.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-225x233.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869-350x362.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Standing-rat-e1575498393869.png 1401w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>When you are having a conversation with someone or listening to them speak, how much do elements like their tone of voice and body language impact your level of interest as well as your interpretation of what they are saying? A lot! This holds true for science communication. Specifically, there are two key elements to your message: the substance (i.e., the objective components that we have discussed thus far) and the style. Style is the subjective component of the message. It is the one most often ignored by communicators, but it can be more important than substance when it comes to engaging an audience. Below we look into some elements that you can use to develop the style aspect of your messaging.<\/p>\n<h1>Harnessing the power of emotion<\/h1>\n<p>If you are smart about building emotion into your message you will significantly increase your reach and impact. <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.gov.bc.ca\/psc\/CHIPSPLM\/viewredirect\/pQzUdYlA8vB_vXBC8LpyochXJf4GUo8Xu2o.HhtdWJc5.TLPDfQnJMmu0zHQHJ3IfVkh4zt2Aohi9ZQjxyG0V5k-\/LMCERTCMP.pdf\">Randy Olson<\/a> (scientist turned filmmaker) is the guru in this area. We particularly like his \u201cFour Organs Theory\u201d for mass communication. In a nutshell, he says that there are four \u2018organs\u2019 in the human body that can \u2018receive\u2019 messaging and each is receptive to a different type of message. The brain responds to facts and knowledge, the heart responds to sincerity, drama and passion, the gut responds to humour, and the \u2018lower organs\u2019 (you know what they are!) respond to sex appeal. Olson argues that as you move away from the head and towards the \u2018lower\u2019 organs you are able to reach more and more people. That being said, you do need to match the emotion to the content, otherwise your message will fall flat or backfire.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>Effective uses of emotion<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc\">BC SPCA\u2019s advertising campaign featuring Sarah McLachlan<\/a> is one of the best uses of heart-focused messaging out there. While use of humor can be effective as in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FQ9Xpzi4qkU\">British Airways safety video<\/a> or this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=82yZVB7IDlE\">Got Milk<\/a> ad.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-65x49.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-225x168.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-350x261.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861.png 1580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_544\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-544\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-544\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions.png\" alt=\"A brain and heart are shown connected. The brain represents critical thinking and fact, the heart represents emotional response.\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions.png 720w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions-65x65.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions-225x225.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Emotions-350x350.png 350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-544\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Effective messaging will harness emotions, and can often balance between facts and feeling.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Spontaneity<\/h1>\n<p>This is a word that is feared by most scientists engaged in communication. This is because spontaneity is usually associated with unpredictability and a lack of control. However, this lack of predictability is exactly why spontaneous events, gestures, and speech are so appealing to humans! Society\u2019s thirst for spontaneity is evidenced by the rise in everything from reality television to social media \u2014 our collective obsession with Donald Trump\u2019s spontaneous Twitter rants being a prime example.<\/p>\n<p>That being said, Donald Trump is probably the posterchild for spontaneity gone wrong. So how do you get it right? There are a couple of tools that you can add to your tool belt:<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Shift your focus<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\"><span class=\"pullquote-right\">&#8216;Audiences don\u2019t want to see you act \u2013 running through preprogrammed performances that are identical. They want to see you react \u2014 taking in what I said to you by other actors and listening to their words \u2014 and showing the audiences how they affect you.&#8217; \u2013 Randy Olson<\/span>If you are focused on making yourself look good then there is no room for you to be spontaneous. Instead, you need to focus outward \u2014 on moving the message forward. How you do this will vary depending on the context. For example, if you are doing an interview or responding to a question from a stakeholder, avoid saying or doing things that will shut down the conversation or make the other person look bad. Instead, try to find a creative way to connect what they are saying to your message. It can often be a matter of just finding a word or phrase (a \u2018pearl\u2019) that you can use to keep the conversation flowing.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Internalize your message<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Know your message so well that it is just a part of you. If you are having to think too much about what you are going to say you will not be able to be spontaneous. Knowing your core message is what is important \u2014 not knowing all the details or facts. Once you trust that you own your message, you need to give yourself permission to \u2018go with the flow\u2019 of the medium in which you are communicating. Even if you are not 100% factually correct, people will still \u2018get it\u2019.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Be present<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Spontaneity is usually a reaction to some external stimulus \u2014 a stimulus that you need to be receptive to. For example, if you are giving a media interview, you need to really listen to the questions being asked and not spend that time rehearsing lines in your head. Reacting is engaging, acting is fake and annoying.<\/p>\n<h1>Don\u2019t be so literal minded \u2014 Randy Olson<\/h1>\n<p>This is another element of style that Randy Olson really has down pat. He has identified that there is a spectrum of messaging styles \u2018from boringly blunt to incomprehensively elusive.\u2019 Scientists tend towards the former (just pound people with the facts) while we personally feel that modern art exemplifies the latter (is there anyone who knows what <a href=\"http:\/\/damienhirst.com\/artworks\/catalogue\">Damien Hirst<\/a> is trying to tell us). Advertisers, on the other hand, are in the business of finding the perfect balance.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, you need to think about developing a style that will catch and hold people\u2019s attention \u2014 something that is hard to do on either end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>The Clio Awards<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you want to see some great examples of non-literal messaging, look at the recipients of the <a href=\"https:\/\/clios.com\/awards\/winners?year=2019&amp;trophy=all\">2019 Clio awards<\/a> for outstanding advertising. Just think about how the impact of those ads would have changed if they had simply described their products. Sure, they probably could have added more information using a more literal style, but I think you can agree that they got their point across.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-582 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"112\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-300x224.png 300w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-768x573.png 768w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-1024x764.png 1024w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-65x49.png 65w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-225x168.png 225w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861-350x261.png 350w, https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/855\/2019\/11\/Seated-rat-e1575568791861.png 1580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--exercises\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Discussion<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>Arouse and Fulfill \u2013 Randy Olson<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is a great mantra for life in general, but one that particularly comes in handy when it comes to communication. (It is also called \u2018motivate then educate\u2019 but that is not as catchy.) Basically, it is one way to combine style and substance to get your message across. You start your communication with something interesting, flashy, funny, entertaining, emotional, etc. that will catch your audience\u2019s attention and then you fulfill or satisfy their interest with the substance. This can be done within a communication (i.e., by starting off a written communication with a compelling anecdote) or by combining communications (i.e., a promotional film that directs people to an educational website).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h1>Likability<\/h1>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--sidebar textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>White Coat Black Art\u2026of liability?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We find CBC\u2019s house doctor, Dr. Peter Lin to be so, so, so likable and we think it is because he manages to be an expert without being condescending. Google him and listen to some of the clips of him on the radio.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Can you think of someone that really, really grates on you? Maybe it is a relative, a co-worker, a TV personality, or a politician. Now imagine they tell you something like \u201cYou should really be taking this multivitamin\u201d. What would you be thinking and feeling? Now imaging that your best friend or spouse says the same thing, would your reaction be different? Probably.<\/p>\n<p>This is all about likability. If people don\u2019t like you they probably will not listen to you. The good news is that you can learn to be likable, because most of the major predictors of likability are behavioural.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips and tricks:<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Don\u2019t be condescending<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">If your verbal or non-verbal communication comes across as arrogant in any way, then that is going to be a huge turn off. This might seem obvious but it can be very tricky to balance conveying your expertise without acting like you\u2019re superior to your audience.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Don\u2019t take the bait<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">I often tell my 5-year-old \u2018The only person that you can control is yourself\u2019. And the ability to exhibit self-control is a highly likable trait. You will undoubtedly encounter detractors during your career and your impulse will be to attack them using your preferred weapons of verbal destruction \u2014 sarcasm, anger, defensiveness, whatever. Whatever you feel like doing in the heat of the moment, you should probably do the opposite. Can you make a joke? Can you exhibit empathy to their point of view? If you can completely change the tone of the interchange then you will come off as very likeable\u2026maybe even to your opponent.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Check your negativity at the door<\/h2>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Let\u2019s face it, science education is essentially systematic training in negativity. This perspective is rooted the moment we learn about hypothesis testing (i.e., your sole goal in life is to systematically falsify and reject a never ending series of null hypotheses). Negativity works very well for the scientific process but can be very unlikable in the realm of communication. For your audience, a good rant can be engaging, but it is sort of like a big cupcake with lot of icing \u2014 <span class=\"pullquote-left\">&#8216;You meet scientists who have lost control of this negating approach to the world and seem to sit and stew in their overly critical festering juices of negativity, which can reduce down to a thick, gooey paste of cynicism.&#8217; \u2013 Randy Olson<\/span>they might enjoy the decadent, guilty pleasure of the first one, but being forced to consume them over and over again will probably result in nausea and vomiting. This does not mean that you should abandon the critical side of your nature. Too much positivity can also be annoying. Rather, it means that, where possible, you should try to weave positivity into your message. It is a strong motivator for people to do something.\u00a0 Additionally, creating a balance between the positive and the negative can provide texture and interest to a communication.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--examples\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Example<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<p><strong>Think about the impact behind the tone of these two statements regarding vaccine hesitancy:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are people out there who are worried about vaccine safety. These fears are a result of propaganda and misinformation stemming from a fraudulent study. This is resulting in decreased vaccination rates that make children vulnerable to potentially life-threatening diseases. It is difficult to believe that Canadians would choose to not vaccinate their children when there are so many kids who are dying overseas because their parents are not able to access vaccines.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are people out there who are worried about vaccine safety. This is completely understandable. All parents want to keep their kids safe. The good news is that all the scientific evidence shows that vaccines are very, very safe and very, very good at protecting children from a number of diseases. The better news is that all Canadian children have free access to vaccines, so vaccination is something that all Canadian parents can do to protect their children.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Talk less and listen more<\/h2>\n<p>When you think about the mythologic gurus who people seek out to gain some profound knowledge \u2014 are they the types to run off at the mouth? No way! Think of Yoda or Gandalf. They sit there in silence deeply absorbing all the information from the world around them and then, after a loaded pause they come up with some profound and extremely concise comment that provides enlightenment. When Yoda talks, people listen. There must be something to this, otherwise how could a diminutive green humanoid with dopey ears and bizarre sentence structure become a paragon of wisdom in our collective social consciousness?<\/p>\n<h2>Find your own voice<\/h2>\n<p>Scientists are trained to write in a very sterile, cerebral, and impersonal manner. But this style is intensely unlikeable outside of scientific journals (and often in science journals as well). Humans connect to other humans and the good news is that, even though you are a scientist, you are, in fact, also a human. You need to find a way to bring personality and humanity into your communication, but do this in a way that is comfortable and authentic to you.<\/p>\n<h1>Takeaways<\/h1>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Takeaway Tweet<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">&#8220;It is hard to communicate from the Academic Ivory Tower. Want to climb back down? Here are a few tips: do not be condescending (use less jargon), highlight the positive (use tone), and let your personality shine (use humour). #LeaveTheIvoryTower #riskcom&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">&#8211; Nilou Ghaseminejad-Tafreshi<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox textbox--key-takeaways\">\n<header class=\"textbox__header\">\n<p class=\"textbox__title\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"textbox__content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Communication style will determine how people receive your message, for that reason your communications plan cannot rely on substance alone.<\/li>\n<li>Good and effective communication style requires you to forgo some of the stodgy and sterile characteristics that make for good science. Things like spontaneity and likeability go a long way.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"media-attributions clear\" prefix:cc=\"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/ns#\" prefix:dc=\"http:\/\/purl.org\/dc\/terms\/\"><h2>Media Attributions<\/h2><ul><li about=\"https:\/\/www.maxpixels.net\/Balance-Intelligence-Brain-Heart-Symbol-Emotion-3017071\"><a rel=\"cc:attributionURL\" href=\"https:\/\/www.maxpixels.net\/Balance-Intelligence-Brain-Heart-Symbol-Emotion-3017071\" property=\"dc:title\">Fig 2.4.1 Emotions<\/a>  &copy;  Unknown    is licensed under a  <a rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/publicdomain\/mark\/1.0\/\">Public Domain<\/a> license<\/li><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"author":801,"menu_order":8,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-50","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":38,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/50","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/801"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/50\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2337,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/50\/revisions\/2337"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/38"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/50\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=50"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=50"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/missionmessagemedium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=50"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}