It's common knowledge that how we word what we have to say goes a long way in determining how our message is received and in turn the outcome; yes?  Of course, thinking through how a text or email might be received by the recipient seems to have become a blind spot in our electronic communications these days.  For me, there are occasions when I carefully take my time to choose my words when preparing a message; and then… there are those other times. 

This came to mind during a recent lunch I enjoyed with a friend and former colleague.  He is, and has been, the top sales rep for his company over the past four years.  During lunch he conveyed great frustration over his company's internal processes and politics.  Expressing frustration to a friend over lunch is one thing.  However, he told me he was similarly expressing his frustrations to his management "up line" reaching the point that his VP scolded him about how he was saying what he was saying.  I suggested he might consider being more aware of his wordsmithing. 

It doesn't matter whether the topic is something heavy or serious; wordsmithing is material.  Take this historical example: 

     The battlefield was not a testament to heroism.  It was an ugly health hazard - a field of corpses that deeply concerned Pennsylvania's governor.

     Nor was that corpse-strewn field a monument to greatness.  The North's general, Meade, had so bungled the battle, leaving Lee to regroup, that he submitted his resignation to President Lincoln.  But Meade's opponent, Lee, had done no better, marching blindly into slaughter - a blunder so great that he submitted his resignation, too. 

The battlefield was Gettysburg... 

     The enormous gulf between the perception of Gettysburg and the reality can be explained in 276 words: the Gettysburg Address.  With one deft speech, Lincoln changed almost everything...

     Lincoln's address vividly demonstrates the generative power of words: the power of words not simply to describe reality, but to create it. 

                   Harry Beckwith 

Setting the magnitude of war aside, even everyday occurrences are impacted by our wordsmithing: 

Two monks were meeting in the hall.  "Good day, Brother John.  You look a bit down in the mouth."  "Yes, Brother Mark.  I just asked the Bishop if it was alright to smoke while I prayed, and he said, "Absolutely not!"  " That is interesting, Brother John, because just yesterday I asked the Bishop if it was alright to pray while I smoked, and he said, "Sure." 

                   Harlan Goehger 

These are examples of carefully crafted messages.  It usually comes down to taking the time to think about what we're going to say plus thinking about how we choose to say it vs. quickly blurting out whatever is on our mind.  For me, the blurting out occurs when my emotions arrest control from my intellect.  I've made that mistake too often throughout my life: 

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. 

Ambrose Bierce 

Harry Beckwith reminds us that controlling and maximizing the impact of our words can be… well… impactful: 

The Value of Publicity 

There are six peaks in Europe higher than the Matterhorn.  Name One. 

Of course, not every attempt at wordsmithing results in a successful result.  Here's Harry again:  

            I used up all my sick days so I called in dead. 

Tried that one?  Well if not, may I suggest a little more wordsmithing might be in order. 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.