Why it’s unambitious to aim for “not boring your audience”.

Read more thoughts on the art of communicating week-daily at https://michaelgerharz.com/blog

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When I started my career, one of the advice that I got was to make

my primary rule for communication to never bore my audience.

Today, almost 15 years later, I’d argue that not boring your audience is a very

unambitious goal if only because not being boring is actually relatively

easy . I mean, just make a speech during a rollercoaster ride and it won't be boring.

Only that it’s not the point.

Because the point of giving a speech, the point of communicating in the

first place is to change minds.

To have your message stick rather than the rollercoaster ride.

To have your audience fall in love with your idea rather than cheering

for what a great show it's been.

When we hear a speech that's super exciting, it's tempting to think that

it was because of some talent of the communicator to make it exciting.

Or because they put on such a great show.

What's easily overlooked though, is that it's actually the other way around.

Stories that touch us deeply are never boring.

While on the other hand, stories that aren't boring can still

leave us largely unaffected.

Or a story that challenges my thinking can't be boring while on the other

hand, stories that aren't boring can still be largely irrelevant.

Great communicators start with relevance.

That's what creates resonance.

And when something resonates, it's by definition not boring.

So, not being boring is a consequence of rather than a prerequisite

for telling a meaningful story.

And sure telling it on a rollercoaster will only make it more exciting

if that's your thing, that is.

But I leave that decision up to you.