Say It Differently (Achievement Nudge)

---

Last Updated on November 25, 2024 by Bill Truby

Are you a leader who keeps saying the same thing over and over and THEY don’t get it! Well…if the same words aren’t working, try something different.

Achieve Motivation and Action by Saying Something Differently

I have found that wisdom and enlightenment come when you become fully aware of a “duh.” Often, teachers of wisdom say something we already know at some level, but they say it in a way that makes us listen…and get it. It’s a moment when you bonk yourself on the side of the head and say, “Wow…that’s brilliant!” but another part of you says, “Wait a minute, I already knew that!”

And…actually, that’s how we’ve been so successful. We simply teach self-evident, common sense truths people know at some level, but don’t know that they know it. We teach “duh’s.” And, how do we do this? The same way the masters do – we creatively package the truth in words that are said differently…different enough for the listener to hear and understand.

Ok, now…ready your mind. I’ll use the method I’m talking about right now to say what I just said, but will say it differently: A little creativity in how you say something, slices through the mushy maze of mental momentum, and helps the mind wake up to a “new” truth it has forgotten.

You like that? For my thick-headed friends, I’ll explain: I used alliteration, “…mushy maze of mental momentum,” and a juxtaposition of concepts, “…a ‘new’ truth that has been forgotten,” (you can’t forget a new truth), to creatively say something you already knew.

Here are some simple illustrations of how this works. Let’s compare an old way leaders speak, and a new way that can give an entirely different, and better, message.

Old: I need to hold you accountable!
New: I want to lead a group of accountable people to whom I look up. You in?

Old: This is your job description.
New: This is how I’m asking you to contribute your time and talents, and here are the outcomes I’m expecting.

Old: Why do you ALWAYS mess up?
New: What happened to cause THIS mistake? How can we fix it, and prevent it from happening again?

Now, let’s up the ante of “different” and change the setting too. Imagine this: I put on my long, noble robe, stand on a high knoll, lift my old, used walking stick made of knotty, curly, weathered oak, and teach you about implementing a strategic plan like this…

The most important step you’ll ever take is your next one. You are not going from A to Z; you are going from A to B. The path is a journey of “now’s” – it is not a path of “when’s” nor is it a way of “was’s.” Keep your eye on a “when.” Learn from a “was.” But take your next step in a fully conscious “now”.

Feels like wisdom, right? But that’s because it’s a different setting with creatively spoken words. Imagine the same concept spoken in a scenario where we’re between appointments, sitting in a Burger King, wolfing down a Cheese Whopper, and I say, “Hey, make sure you’ve got a strategic plan with specific next steps.” That setting and those words speak a different message, one that probably won’t be heard. Yet, in essence, it’s the same message.

So, if what you are saying, and how you are saying it, isn’t getting the outcomes you are looking for, try a different setting and a different way to say it. Oh…one more thing (again, for my “thick-headed-non-creative-will-do-what-I-suggest” friends)…don’t take my illustration of putting on a robe and lifting a walking stick before talking to your staff literally. Duh…

---

This article is part of our ongoing Achievement Nudge series—short, witty, and often inspirational articles to spark your personal and professional growth. Explore more nudges on our blog, or sign up for our weekly Nudge and News email. Each edition includes an Achievement Nudge plus leadership, professional development, and personal growth videos and articles to keep you inspired and on track.

---