I used to think that if I said something once, people would get it.
These days I realize that’s not communication; that’s vanity. It’s a bit arrogant of me to think that just because something comes out of my mouth one time, it will have lasting impact.
Advertisers say that people need “seven sticks” before they will buy a product. Seven exposures to something before it will sink in.
If that’s true of something physical and tangible like toothpaste, how much more for theology, leadership, and church culture — things that are often intangible and invisible?
So now if there is something the people of the church really need to hear, know, and feel, they will be exposed to it at least seven times. Hopefully in different ways and through different media, but they will have seven exposures to meaningful truths.
Same with the staff I lead. I need to be about pouring just a few things into them about how we should shape the church and pastor the people. But I need to pour those same things in over . . . and over . . . and over.
Because I want to choose communication over vanity.
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WOW! This reminds of me of how many times I tell my young son, “I don’t want to have to tell you this again!” — And then I do, once more. I guess we can’t expect people to ‘get’ what we’re saying the first time. Or the second. Ironically, folks at work consider me to be a great communicator but they don’t live with me. Thanks for the reminder that I need to have some patience and say it again, in a more understandable way, depending on my audience. And not to be so vain as to believe that what I say to my child just once is going to be more easily understood by him or more important to him than his Power Rangers. 🙂