Ever get stuck trying to communicate a certain understanding of something? No matter what you say, no matter how hard you try to make yourself understood, the person on the other end of the conversation is getting a different message. Is it possible to communicate and be heard on a certain point of view in the face of the subjectivity of meaning?

The way we communicate can shed light on a particular understanding or highlight a certain point of view or perception. We think the trick is shifting gear and getting focused on understanding rather than being understood. When we turn our attention to understanding the other (person, organisation, customer, partner, colleague) we learn about what matters to them. Seeing the world through their eyes gives us invaluable information about what they hear and how they make meaning.

 

By asking questions and listening, we learn about others' values, what makes them tick, their personality and temperament (equally applicable to individuals and organisations). This feeds our understanding of how best to communicate with them. We are also in a better position to know whether what we thought we wanted to communicate is actually useful or relevant to the other.

This is how Active Voice works with clients. It's also how we help companies communicate effectively with the people who matter to them.

The bottom line? Seek to understand the world through the eyes of others and your communication is sure to hit the mark.

Shedding light on a subject is the theme of our latest online exhibition, Illuminate.
 
     
   
   

 

           
             

relating to time

Feature article from Active Voice Creative Director, Elaena Gardner.

When I was about 15 years old my grandmother sat me down for a heart to heart. She was concerned that my constant eye on the future would see me wishing my life away. She warned me that when I was her age time would zip by; a year would seem like no time at all. I couldn't begin to understand what she meant. A year was forever and as far as I could see the freedom I craved was still at least three forevers away. Now, 22 years later, I think I'm finally getting it.

Like many friends and colleagues I look back on the last 12 months with astonishment. Was that really a whole year? When I look in detail at the things done, then yes there seems to be a year's worth of busyness in there - new projects won, worked on, completed and the next phase begun; a few hesitant starts at different types of meditation and yoga; a host of celebrations; a few paintings started and a few less finished; lots of new places explored; about 60 books read; 300 sudoku puzzles completed; and a new approach to spirituality explored, considered and abandoned.

But also in that reflection is a deep-seated dissatisfaction. I think Diana Hunt expresses it well.

I have joyful, happy memories of my busy 2005. But I think I failed to really savour most of the experiences. Even in the midst of the most enjoyable moments, my mind was mostly focussed on the next task - anticipating it with fear or joy, planning for it, imagining scenarios.

I managed to jam pack most of my days with activities and my head with projections and plans. I suspect that as a result my experiences were a bit shallow. And that's why I feel surprised and slightly resentful that a whole year has passed. It's not really about the length of time or the number of things done but about the depth of experience in each moment.

So my reassessment of time is going to be two pronged.

I'm going to savour empty spaces. I will not attempt to fill every hour of my waking day with activity and stimulation. I will take time to just be and I will notice what that's like. I'm guessing that sometimes it's going to be hard.

I will also be more consistently present. I will use the stuff I have learnt in meditation to focus on the where, how, who and what of that moment. I'm guessing that my success will be patchy - especially at first.

I figure that even if I do it imperfectly, it could make a difference.

How might you enter into a new relationship with time?

   

 

 

     
     
   
   

 

Creativity means trying things out. Some things work; some don't. We tend to call the things that don't work "mistakes". We love nothing more than beating ourselves up for the things that didn't give us the answer - the ideas that were "wrong" or "not good enough".

Well, it's time to give that up.

2006 is the year of learning to love our mistakes. They are part of the creative process; the stepping stones that keep moving us forward. Without them, we don't get where we're going.

We're also giving up calling those experiments "mistakes". A mistake is just the answer to a different question.

In his Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, designer Bruce Mau says:

"Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day. Save mistakes - they may not work for the current situation but might provide answers to other problems that come up."

Allowing ourselves to be creative means letting go the fear of being "wrong". If we can give up making ourselves wrong and simply accept what is, we'll find a lot more freedom.

Let's forget about being good as well. Creativity is not necessarily good. It's about adventuring into unexplored territory without attachment to the outcome; without needing to know what the expedition will uncover. What is "good", is already known.

 

           
             

For us, dream jobs are those in which we are able to offer clients the maximum experience and benefit of our talents - and then some. Not surprisingly, there are certain things we need to allow that to happen. And there is one simple fact we have to understand to set up dream jobs from the start. Here it is. Are you ready? Clients are not mind readers.

Sounds obvious, but think about how many misunderstandings or conflicts are about different expectations that have not been communicated?








Clear communication serves all relationships. Business is no different. Giving great service means being up front about what we need and expect. When we take responsibility for communicating how we work and what we need from our clients to produce excellent results, we can avoid headache, heartache and strained relationships. If we don't communicate our needs and expectations, we may be setting ourselves up to feel resentful or disappointed. Who can offer valuable service with those feelings on board?

So we've created a fun document that shows clients exactly what we need from them in order to get the best of us. Dream jobs is available in PDF format. Let us know if you'd like to take a peek.

What needs could you communicate to your clients? Could we create something similar for you?

 

 

           
             
 

Creating a sustainable brand is not purely an intellectual exercise. The heart and hands are just as important as the head. We learn by thinking, feeling, being and doing.
A brand is not a logo.

A brand is built up over time through action - creating a gut feeling in stakeholders through consistent delivery on brand promises. Customers build up their own associations with your brand icon or logo, based on their interactions with the business. Brand is about experience.

You can be in communication with people but if you're not connecting, then you're not providing the service you set out to provide.

 

In December, a client enlisted our services to conduct a communication/brand audit. It's a courageous and confronting thing for any organisation to do. Now, with all its blind spots uncovered and its achievements acknowledged, the client has an inventory of brand assets and liabilities. This is an incredibly powerful position to be in to begin a process of transformation and to start the business of creating a sustainable brand. Most importantly it sets the organisation up to have an enduring positive impact on the clients it serves because there is now a catalogue of what's working and what's not.

Find out how we can help you make your brand more sustainable. Drop us a line.
 

 

 

Small Steps

Our next small step towards sustainability is committing to using both sides of every piece of paper in our office.

Did you know that more than 100 million trees are cut down every year for the paper that's used in Australian offices alone? Imagine if everyone used each piece of paper twice (i.e. both sides). Clearly, this would halve consumption. It's not rocket science.

Join us in creating a culture in which it becomes socially unacceptable to use only one side of paper. Start by seeing if you can make this happen at your workplace. Let us know how you go.

  
 

 

 

           
             

It's your job to have fun at work. So why not plan for it with a calendar of events? Here's a few to get you started. Note, these are real days. We did not make them up. But these things are certainly open to interpretation…

7 March National Procrastination Week: Put it off 'til next week if you want.

8 March International Women's Day: All the women in the office crack jokes about men (tee hee). Wife jokes, blonde jokes and driving jokes are banned.

March National *Feminine Improvement* Month [sic(k)]: Enrol in June Dally Watkins class. Have eyelashes tinted. Walk around the office with a book on your head. Wear pink.

17 March St Patrick's Day: Wear green. Answer the phone with your best Irish accent. Recite a limerick to your boss. Call everyone Patrick.



20 March Rotten Sneaker Day: Maybe bin this one.

April International Pickle Week: Errr. No comment.

7 June Daniel Boone Day (seriously): Wear a hat made out of a raccoon

28 July Singing Telegram Day:
tra la la

18 August Bad Poetry Day: A day to play with what you say. (Best kept secret from radio announcers.)

25 August Kiss and Make Up Day: Have a fight with someone so you can say sorry later.

28 August Dream Day: A really excellent day where everything runs smoothly.