The Language of Inclusion and The SOTU Response
“I, me, mine….” Oh, brother. Queue eyeroll…. Remember the seagulls in “Finding Nemo?” Mine, mine, mine!” That scene still makes me laugh.
It’s not so funny when we use these things in our #marketing, #communication and our talks
Language matters. It signals intent, values and beliefs. The language of unity isn’t “I, me, mine…” Rather, it’s “we, our, us..”
That is what made Rep. Joe Kennedy’s SOTU response so powerful – he created the “we.” And that is a language of togetherness and hope.
When leaders speak, listen to the pronouns they use:
- Do they refer to us and we more than I and me? By the way, this is the same for #contentmarketing!
- Do they use collective metaphors – individual vs. team?
- Does the vision include a better “world” for all or most vs just a few?
What do you notice in language that persuades and inspires? How do you check your own language? What rules do you use?
