Too often, when going to college, I discovered that studying, reading books, and writing thoughtful analysis really interfered with my education. It cut into my time socializing, drinking beer, partying and sports. I wasn’t the only one, it seemed all my friends suffered with the same problem. College would have been fantastic if it weren’t for all those books and reports we had to write.
As creative people, we looked at how we could get even the minimal amount of studying done, with much less work. We discovered the secret to our success, Cliff Notes. Rather thank struggling through 336 pages of MacBeth, written in Old English, I could read the 80 pages of Cliff Notes, and get the basic concepts. It saved me hours of agony struggling through Shakespeare’s writing. It freed up time for me to focus on my education–partying with friends.
Virtually every major piece of literature had Cliff Notes. Also, a lot of technical books in math, business, science provided us great short-cuts to reading and writing papers on the reading. I could squeak through getting by on many of the assignments. I found I struggled though. Professors would ask about the phraseology, or why an author chose to present a story in a certain way, how they constructed and built characters, plot lines. Understanding the tempo of the book, the rise and fall of the story as it developed, and what it meant was totally foreign to me. To me, MacBeth was all about:
“Macbeth,” a tragedy by William Shakespeare, depicts the rise and fall of Macbeth, a Scottish general. Influenced by his ambitious wife and a prophecy from three witches, Macbeth murders King Duncan to seize the throne. Plagued by guilt and paranoia, his tyranny leads to more murders and eventually his downfall.
I mean, what else does someone need to know about MacBeth. To sound smart, I could refer to Lady MacBeth’s famous sentence (Act 5, Scene 1): “Out, damned spot! Out I say!” But the professor asked me, “What does that mean and how did it impact the story…..” I had to guess, “She was eating a Big Mac, and catchup fell out it on her blouse—she was upset going back to work with the catchup stain.” (I think it was a good guess and I faked the professor out, though I was confused by the C- at the end of the semester.)
As powerful as AI is, it seems most of the guru recommended approaches on AI are modern day versions of Cliff Notes. They give you basic information, but totally miss the meaning/impact.
For example, I recently used a highly recommended tool offering deep insights on people and how to engage them. The tool promised to provide communication style analysis, engagement strategies, key themes and interests to discuss with the individual, as well as the individual’s leadership/business philosophy, and professional background.
It promised comprehensive understanding of the individual and a detailed communication planning and engagement strategy. Based on the hundreds of “Likes,” and comments like, “This is a game changer,” I decided to try the tool out for myself.
The easiest thing to experiment with was it’s analysis on me. I provided the information. I got this stunning analysis on myself–I learned new things that I never knew about myself. Eventually, I got to the point of asking how I could effectively engage myself in a conversation that would resonate with me. What insight:
Would you like to explore other approaches or need assistance with anything else related to engaging with David Brock?
Engaging David Brock, the CEO of Partners In EXCELLENCE, in a conversation requires a strategic approach that resonates with his interests and communication style. Based on what we know about him, here are some strategies:
1. Start with Research:
Review his Blog: Familiarize yourself with the latest articles on his blog. Look for recent topics, recurring themes, or specific insights that stand out.
Understand his Business Philosophy: Try to grasp the underlying principles and beliefs he expresses through his writings.
2. Opening the Conversation:
Use a Relevant Hook: Start the conversation by referencing a specific article or topic from his blog. For example, “I recently read your article on [topic], and it really resonated with me because…”
Show Genuine Interest: Express genuine curiosity about his views or ask for his opinion on a recent industry trend related to his expertise.
3. Discussing Business and Leadership:
Talk Strategy and Excellence: Steer the conversation towards strategic thinking, business excellence, and leadership, areas he’s likely passionate about.
Share Your Insights: Don’t hesitate to share your own insights or experiences that relate to the topics he covers. This can create a two-way dialogue that’s more engaging.
4. Ask Insightful Questions:
Engage with Open-ended Questions: Ask questions that allow him to share his expertise and experiences, such as “What challenges do you see in achieving operational excellence in today’s market?”
Seek Advice: If appropriate, you might ask for his advice on specific challenges or decisions, showing you value his expertise.
5. Building Rapport:
Listen Actively: Show that you are listening and appreciate his insights. Active listening helps in building rapport and trust.
Find Common Ground: If you find any mutual interests or shared beliefs, highlight them to strengthen the connection.
6. Keeping the Conversation Going:
Follow-up Topics: End the conversation with a lead into the next. For example, “I’d love to hear more about your approach to leadership development. Perhaps we could discuss this further in our next meeting?”
Stay in Touch: Consider following up with an email summarizing key points of your discussion and expressing your gratitude for the conversation.
7. Respect his Time and Expertise:
Be Concise: Keep your points clear and concise, respecting his time as a CEO.
Professional Courtesy: Always maintain a level of professionalism that aligns with his status as a CEO.
Remember, the key to engaging in a meaningful conversation with David Brock is to show genuine interest in his work and expertise, offer valuable insights, and maintain a professional and respectful demeanor. Would you like more detailed advice on specific aspects of engaging in a conversation with him?
I’ll stop here. I’ve studied the templates and prompts of dozens of guru’s providing “time saving help.” Every time, I get a dumbed down version of Cliff Notes. While they might get some of the data correct, it has no meaning, no context. It misses the substance of the individual, the company, the situation.
Engaging our customers is more than relevant data and information. It’s about meaning-how does it impact people? What does it mean to them, how do they feel about it, why should they think differently, what are the specifics their impact at this moment in time? How do we understand and reconcile differences across the many people involved in addressing the issues? And on and on and on….
AI can provide us great help in improving our efficiency and effectiveness. But too many of the current applications are simply nothing more than today’s version of Cliff Notes. They give us no substance, they don’t help us understand people and how they feel. And if we can’t engage people in meaningful ways, if we don’t understand the “plot line,” we will not connect impactfully with our customers and each other.
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