DRAMA dots . . .

Creating engaging, effective communications!

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I was stopped at a stoplight, and there was a truck pulled off on the side of the road in front of me. His entire truck was covered with bumper stickers. I wanted to read some of them, but there were so many…I didn’t know where to look.

It was information overload!

It made me think about a conundrum I was having earlier. I was editing a document, and there were so many calls to action that the message was completely lost.

I often see individuals wanting to include way more information than necessary in their emails. They think that by packaging it all together, it’s a one-stop shop for readers.

But, it’s asking the reader to do too many things. There are multiple calls to action, causing information overload.

The average person spends nine seconds reading an email. That’s it. There is no way an individual can read, comprehend, and act on five calls to action in an email.

The solution is not to add more content and instructions. It’s a signal to reevaluate what you are trying to share. Maybe an email is not the best vehicle for it!

Throwing all the information a person should know into a one-time, last-minute email is not communication. It’s the equivalent of talking “at” someone rather than “to” them.

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THINK or THING?

You’ve got another THINK coming?

I posted about this phrase on LinkedIn several years ago, but it has popped up in my world recently. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to share it again because it still blows my mind!

Did you know that the original phrase is, "you've got another THINK coming"?

The more prevalent expression, "you've got another THING coming," came later.

The original phrase is from the mid-19^th century and originated in British English.

The newer and more prevalent phrase, another thing coming, came about in American English decades later.

The original phrase is still used, as evidenced by this book review written by Carolyn See on May 5, 2001, in the Washington Post.

"…(and if you think I'm spending too much time on this, you have another think coming)."

Did you know there were two versions of this phrase?

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A MUCH-NEEDED LAUGH!

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INSPIRATION

It’s impossible not to get swept up in the feel-good stories from the World Cup. One story has been particularly touching—because it’s in my backyard.

I live in Lawrence, Kansas. It’s a small, progressive college town (University of Kansas – Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!) about 30-40 minutes outside of Kansas City. We were also the home base for the Algerian World Cup team.

We were SO excited to host them and had been preparing for years. Amal El Haimaur, an assistant professor of African and African American Studies at the University of Kansas, and Aya Fayed, a Ph.D. student and Arabic lecturer, helped the city prepare.

In a collaboration with one of her professors, Fayed joined the Lawrence World Cup committee and wrote and produced a video on Arabic and Algerian culture to share with downtown businesses.

“Especially the restaurants,” Fayed said. “They wanted to know: What does it mean to have halal food in the restaurant? What are some of the customs that might be confusing when they are dealing with new people? We also talked about tipping.” (Quote courtesy of NPR.)

The Lawrence World Cup committee also provided Arabic translations for the city's parking signs and weather information. And members of the committee even taught Arabic classes to citizens at the Lawrence Public Library.

The Algerian team arrived late on a stormy, rainy evening. But, they were greeted by hundreds of fans. Dozens of businesses displayed flags and signs supporting Algeria. A local artist created the largest-ever Algerian flag on grass on the University of Kansas’ campus. Algerian fans and Lawrencians gathered around the flag to celebrate the team and learn from one another.

When the team held an open practice, the line to get into the facility was enormous. The University of Kansas band showed up and played the Algerian national anthem.

I stumbled upon a touching video posted by an Algerian fan, @khobaii. When he arrived at the train station in Lawrence at 4 a.m., he was having a hard time getting an Uber. A local man named Jeff approached him to see if he could help. Unfortunately, Jeff’s car couldn’t carry the fans and their luggage, so he waited with them until an Uber arrived. Then Jeff took @khobii’s luggage to his Airbnb because there wasn’t enough space in the Uber. Jeff gave them his number and told them to call if they needed anything while staying in Lawrence!

When the fans got up the next morning, they had a package on their front porch. It was a note from Jeff, donuts from a local bakery, and juice and water. (And, it wasn’t just any bakery – it’s the best one in Lawrence!)

The watch parties in Lawrence were packed, and any time the team left or returned to their hotel, they were greeted by hundreds of cheering fans. At the last match in the first round, Algerian fans taped up an enormous sign thanking Lawrence.

I can’t even tell you how lovely this interaction has been. It reminded me that humans are good and kind; we are not our leaders.

Life is HARD. But, there are so many reasons to share a smile, hold a door, or welcome a team to your town! May we all take these lovely, positive interactions from the past month and build upon them. Kindness does indeed matter!

Here are some of my favorite videos about the lovely bond between Lawrence and Algeria.

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