There's something about coming into Manhattan (new motto: welcome to the W hotel, enjoy your stay) that's more exciting than arriving in any other city, with the possible exception of Tegucigalpa, Honduras (motto: we're thinking about stealing your diving equipment). Even when the cab slings around the Triborough bridge ramp on to the FDR (look ma, i'm talkin' like the locals!), and I can't really see anything but the dreary industrial apartments to the right and a bad view of the river to the left, knowing that I'm now in Manhattan always gives me a great feeling.
Let's distinguish this from the feeling I get coming into any other city in a cab....say my own city of chicago, or kansas city, even LA (well, definitely LA). I just have this feeling of "ok, here's what happens next....we go into the city, the buildings get bigger, eventually we'll get to my hotel, etc. etc. etc.
Why do i mention this? (attention: huge giant bad segui ahead) I mention this because reading any corporate communication (eg, a press release) or listening to just about any corporate/executive presentation, is just like arriving in any non-new york town. You know what's coming next. You may not have been in that particular town before, and yet, you know how it will play out. Nothing about it is exciting. Maybe there's a cow by the side of the road, maybe there's a big red building, whatever. There's no drama, you can see the end before it starts....maybe you should take a nap.
Why can't more business communications be like arriving in new york? Why can't they make you excited with anticipation and anxious to see what comes next? Why is it so hard to craft a message or presentation that leaves the audience begging to hear more?
Is it because there aren't any good presenters or communicators within corporate america? That can't be it, there are certainly lots of funny weblogs written by folks working at these places, filled with interesting analyses and humorous quips. Is it because executives don't spend enough time preparing communications or presentations? hell no, that ain't it. I've seen people spend two weeks on a six slide powerpoint presentation that had 'em sleeping in the pews on slide two.
No, I think we never arrive in manhattan in corporate communications because it's safer to arrive in kansas city. While the overall goal of the company may be to make money, the goals of individual tasks are "not to look stupid or get in trouble". Excitement means risk, Reward means risk, and with risk, comes the possibility of failure and humiliation. Above every podium in every hotel conference room in america is a little invisible sign that says "fear the moment". And as anybody who's ever seen a scared stand-up comic can tell you, watching somebody standing under that sign is just no fun. There is only one way to get the audience to hop into your new york taxi. you have to remove the bulb from the fear sign (whoa! the metaphors are literally flying off the page in all directions!), crush it under your shoe, and say "fuck it, let's have fun and see what happens". This won't happen of course, but it sure would make conferences a lot more interesting.
Posted by Dick at February 3, 2004 10:28 AM | TrackBack