I’ve become hooked on the Draw Something app on my phone. I’m not a particularly good artist, especially when using my finger for a paintbrush and my phone’s screen for a canvas. Yet, I’ve been having pretty good success. One thing that I’ve discovered is that a little context can go a long way when it comes to conveying meaning.
For example, by itself, this picture is just an obscure shape.
By themselves, the three shapes in this picture would be undecipherable. Yet together, each provides context for the other creating a clear (albeit not artistic) picture. And, since Draw Something is a game of communication rather than artistic ability, it seems to work.
In my attempt to draw the oar, I could have tried to refine the shape of the handle, add wood grain, or add the hardware that connects the oar to the boat. Given my drawing ability, I suspect that additional detail would have made the picture even more confusing.
Instead of adding detail, I added context. The boat and water aren’t very good artistically but they provide enough context to enable our brains to understand the picture. Our brains are particularly adept at recognizing patterns when given the chance.
In a leader’s world, every day is a game of Draw Something. For leaders the palette consists of words and data and the canvas is their presentations, memos, or discussions.
Like most Draw Something players, many leaders struggle to communicate clearly. And, like their Draw Something counterparts, in their attempt to be clearer, many leaders fall into the same trap – they try to add more detail to create clarity. But detail can often obscure your point instead of clarifying it.
Instead of adding detail, try adding context. For example, suppose sales are down. Instead of going deep with more charts and tables about sales, try going broad with context. Consider talking about why the sales performance surprised you (or didn’t surprise you), how the sales performance ties to current initiatives or strategies, or whether you think that low sales will continue. As with the oar picture, the context that you add doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be a few simple statements. Your people’s brains will make the connections.
The following paragraph is a classic example of the brain’s power to use context to create meaning.
Arocdnicg to rsceearch it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pcale. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit pobelrm. Of curose, tihs ins’t jsut an isuse of the frsit and lsat lteter. You aslo need cottnxet. Wtohiut koniwng the nxet or porir wrdo, it is vrey dufficilt to dciepehr the lteerts.
In this example, the details are totally wrong. Yet because of the context the meaning is pretty clear.
Greater detail will not always create greater clarity. Focus on surrounding your data and message with simple, contextual cues and let your audience’s brains do the heavy lifting.
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Brad Kolar is the President of Kolar Associates, a leadership consulting and workforce productivity consulting firm. He can be reached at brad.kolar@kolarassociates.com
