Learning About ‘Words That Work’ for Business Benefit
Val Wright, President of Val Wright Consulting
Book: Words That Work: Communicate Your Purpose, Your Profits and Your Performance
Author: Val Wright, president of Val Wright Consulting
The pitch: Based on scenarios and conversations from CEOs, business leaders and senior executives from world leading companies, Words That Work 1) gives leaders the playbook for successful communications 2) advises on how to choreograph precise language and plan what you're going to say in meticulous detail 3) and explains how to stand up for underrepresented groups and champion diversity, even when this makes them unpopular
4) Shows the reader to build unique connections with customers and communicate with them in unusual ways. 5) Features case studies and interviews with leaders and executives from businesses including: Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon, BMW, Audi Silver Cars and Campbell Soup Company.
Who: Val Wright, originally from England, is a U.S.-based innovation and leadership consultant working with such clients as Starbucks, LinkedIn, Microsoft, the Financial Times and the LA Lakers.
She is a regular contributor to CNBC Inc, Fox Business News, Business Insider, Fast Company, MSN, Reuters and the LA Times.
Words That Work: what was the initial inspiration for the book and what helped you to commit to the hard work of writing it?
“Customers At the Heart of Your Company” is one of the chapters of Words That Work and the inspiration for this book came from doing just that, asking and listening to my customers to hear what is most valuable in our work together.
CEOs and executives consistently tell me that the advice I give them on what to say and how to say it gets them results.
It started when in my second book, Rapid Growth, Done Right, I shared a story about how a CIO was presenting to the board and had asked for my advice. In this story I explained how my three “Principles of Words That Just Work” are purpose, preparation and practice — and provided advice for just what to say and when to say it. We discussed the script, precise questions to ask and exact phrases to use.
Another client got to practice a conversation in preparation for a one-to-one with her divisional president. She was frustrated that the promises during her hiring for promotion were not being fulfilled as fast as she hoped. She practiced, had the conversation, and the following week was told she was doubling the size of her team.
Why this mattered most was her president was going on sabbatical and had she not had the conversation, it would never have happened for at least six months.
As I shared those stories, I provided a bonus to readers where I offered a complimentary Words That Just Work advice for every reader’s situation.
Explaining that by texting me, readers could explain their situation and the results they wanted to achieve. Then I would provide advice on Words that Will Just Work.
That resulted in me receiving hundreds of texts from around the world asking for specific scenario advice, which lead me to realize perhaps I should write a book on the whole topic, and I am delighted my editor at Kogan Page agreed, and now it is published.
The sales sheet says the book “calls on leaders to challenge the usual business conversations.” What a great tease. How does the book specifically do this, and for what purpose and payoff?
“My meetings are so productive they get me the results I need every time.”
There is a reason this phrase might cause an eye roll or a smirk or two, because unfortunately it is as rare as a white German Shepherd. When you see one, you do a double take and wonder if your eyes are playing tricks on you.
Your ability to state this much-sought claim depends on the precise words you use. This precision forces the reader to slow down, analyze their past conversations, reflect on how they prepared and delivered their intended message, and how well it was received.
If you flick through the book fast you will see many diagrams, tools, and large quotes like the one above. It forces the reader to stop, think, and consider new ways to provoke debate and encourage decisions.
“So What?” That is one of my favorite phrases that I ask business leaders every day.
Focus on the words you use. So what? There are three crucial reasons:
First, you get your message across succinctly removing confusion. Second, you can encourage and navigate resistance, so it works in your favor. Finally, you get your strategy approved, your promotion confirmed, your budget supported, or your reputation improved. All of which leads to your company growing and your own career accelerating.
The book says it will help readers learn “how to question, contest and change traditional language, skillfully and persuasively.” Who wouldn't like to learn how to do that, right? So how do you recommend this be accomplished and how practical in the ‘real world’ does this reliably work?
Here are three practical examples:
Being able to share feedback with your boss, peers, and team that actually makes a difference.
This starts with a Truth Telling Test, that anyone can immediately use to evaluate how comfortable everyone feels with sharing the truth. This helps the leader of any team shed the insulation layer that can easily build up around them and they don’t hear what they really need to hear.
Sharing your intentions when you are having difficult conversations.
When you read a graphic novel the speech bubbles share the literal words used and the thought bubbles give greater context, but it is the description at the bottom that shares the intention that really gives the clues to what is happening.
The same applies to business conversations: don’t you wish you could read everyone’s thought bubbles at crucial moments?
You must share your intentions and discuss what you are thinking so that your true message gets across; otherwise crossed wires occur. Learning to do this for you and your team will speed up your ability to make decisions and reduce the collective time you spent in meetings.
Knowing how to avoid the top ten communication mistakes which are:
1. Being passive-aggressive
2. Making personal attacks
3. Offering ungrounded opinions
4. Making unexplained ‘in’-jokes
5. Using sarcasm
6. Covering up the truth
7. Radio silence
8. Using corporate buzz words
9. Context-sensitive misuse of time
10. Excessively, repetitively, ridiculously, never able to stop, can’t end when you have made your point, tire people out to the point of frustration by being verbose
The book addresses the point: “Stand up for underrepresented groups.” I think now that social awareness and empathy and compassion are developing at a higher level, at least we hope so, that part of the book could be very appealing to many readers. How then can we accomplish this objective, to where it will be well-received by colleagues, subordinates and leaders?
Getting Others to Cooperate is an important chapter that gives new ways to influence others. How you surround yourself with those who are not like you, understand how others may view a situation, and finding unique ways to communicate with art and music all help accomplish this goal.
It's great that you include case studies. What is the most interesting one, and your favorite?
The most interesting case study is the WeWork story where everyone decided to switch the name of cappuccinos and lattes rather than tell their CEO the truth that he was mistaken in which frothy drink was which.
My favorite case study features Meredith Amdur (CEO of Rhetorik), whose company stock price increased 37 percent three months after her appointment.
What do you hope the book's lasting impact will be upon readers?
I hope that companies grow, proposals get approved, acquisitions get made, conversations become clearer, decisions happen faster, meetings are more impactful, and readers get promoted faster.
