Yesterday I pointed out that I think too much to communicate effectively. In the first chapter of Don't be Such a Scientist, Randy Olson explains why thinking too much is a problem. It comes down to his four organs approach to communication: head, heart, gut, and sex organs. The farther down the human body you go, Randy claims, the broader the audience you're likely to reach.
The scientist in me is screaming "Where's the data?" Randy presents anecdotes instead. They're funny and interesting. He's doing what he learned to do in film school. He's showing us how to communicate at least as much as he's telling us.
Data, logic, and reasoning are cerebral. They're what scientists and academics live for. Communicating science (or anything else for that matter) requires that we grab our audiences attention. If our audience is academics, data, logic, and reasoning will be central to grabbing their attention. If we're speaking with editors or reporters, data, logic, and reasoning will still be important, but they'll be looking for a good story, a "hook" that will grab a broader audience. That's going to involve the heart at least, and maybe the gut and something even lower.
As Randy puts it, "[T]he brain is the epicenter for all that's permanent and lasting when it comes to information, [but] ... the lower organis ... offer ... extra vitality, sparks of energy."
So when you're trying to communicate with non-academics, don't forget to speak to the hearts and guts of your audience as well as their minds.1
The scientist in me is screaming "Where's the data?" Randy presents anecdotes instead. They're funny and interesting. He's doing what he learned to do in film school. He's showing us how to communicate at least as much as he's telling us.
Data, logic, and reasoning are cerebral. They're what scientists and academics live for. Communicating science (or anything else for that matter) requires that we grab our audiences attention. If our audience is academics, data, logic, and reasoning will be central to grabbing their attention. If we're speaking with editors or reporters, data, logic, and reasoning will still be important, but they'll be looking for a good story, a "hook" that will grab a broader audience. That's going to involve the heart at least, and maybe the gut and something even lower.
As Randy puts it, "[T]he brain is the epicenter for all that's permanent and lasting when it comes to information, [but] ... the lower organis ... offer ... extra vitality, sparks of energy."
So when you're trying to communicate with non-academics, don't forget to speak to the hearts and guts of your audience as well as their minds.1
1And if you can figure out a way to make it sexy without being crude or offensive, which can be very tricky, don't forget the lowest of your four organs either.
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