To the hard of hearing you shout, and for the almost blind you draw large and startling figures.
Interpretation
Effective communication requires adapting to the audience's needs and abilities.
This quote by Flannery O'Connor emphasizes the importance of tailoring our communication methods to suit the audience. Just as we would shout for those who can't hear and draw large figures for those who struggle to see, we must be attentive to how our message is received and adjust our approach accordingly to ensure understanding.
In practice
In a presentation, I often remember the quote by O'Connor to adapt my visuals for those who might have trouble seeing the slides.
Let me make no bones about it: I write from the standpoint of Christian orthodoxy. Nothing is more repulsive to me than the idea of myself setting up a little universe of my own choosing and propounding a little immoralistic message. I write with a solid belief in all the Christian dogmas.
What people donβt realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.
If you live today, you breath in nihilism ... it's the gas you breathe. If I hadn't had the Church to fight it with or to tell me the necessity of fighting it, I would be the stinkingest logical positivist you ever saw right now.
There won't be any biographies of me because, for only one reason, lives spent between the house and the chicken yard do not make exciting copy.
Knowing who you are is good for one generation only. You haven't the foggiest idea where you stand now or who you are
He loved her because it was his nature to do so, but there were times when he could not endure her love for him. There were times when it became nothing but pure idiot mystery.
I never think of access or good will. I just want a good interview. I want guests to be informative and entertaining. I've never been concerned about someone's liking me tomorrow.
Listening well is an exercise of attention and by necessity hard work. It is because they do not realize this or because they are not willing to do the work that most people do not listen well.
We communicate all the time, even when we don't realize it. Be aware of body language
In any situation that calls for you to persuade, convince or manage someone or a group of people to do something, the ability to tell a purposeful story will be your secret sauce. Telling to win through purposeful stories is situation, industry, gender, demographic, and psychographic-agnostic. It's an all-purpose, everyone wins tool.
Letters have to pass two tests before they can be classed as good: they must express the personality both of the writer and of the recipient.
He says a million things without saying a word. I have never heard a more eloquent silence.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.