How to Measure the Impact of Words
You want a life of impact but what if you talk all day. Action feels more impactful than words. The further you are from the frontline the more you talk.
Some people are seduced by the sound of their own voice. But high aspiration leaders want a life of impact.
How do you measure impact if you talk all day? You might brag that you attended 4 meetings and had 7 conversations, but how does that prove impact?
How do you measure the impact of answering 27 emails? You can’t touch anything to prove you finished something. An empty inbox is momentary gratification.
How to measure the impact of words:
#1. Define better:
The only reason to open your mouth is to make something better. Determine what better looks like before you open your mouth.
Ask people to help set goals for conversations. “What’s going to make our conversation useful to you?” Or ask, “What would you like to take away from our conversation?”
#2. Ask impactful questions.
- What are you proud you’re doing?
- What’s holding you back?
- What’s the next step?
- What are you great at?
- What are you trying to accomplish?
#3. Ask people to explain your impact.
At the end of conversations ask…
- What’s your takeaway from our conversation? I asked a client, “What’s your takeaway from our conversation. He said, “Affirmation he was on the right path.”
- How has our conversation been useful to you?
It takes courage to ask the above questions, but wouldn’t it be good to know if you wasted your time?
Conclusion:
Progress feels meaningful.
Visible results feel impactful.
Meeting a specific goal – that means something to you – feels impactful.
Design a life of impact or you’ll dance with trivialities.
How can you measure the impact of your words?
If Words Had Calories – Suggestions for Bloviators – Leadership Freak
4 Ways to Talk Like a Leader – Leadership Freak
How do you write a book about humility? John David Mann and I wrote The Vagrant.
Order The Vagrant:
I saw a button once that said, “Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand.” That was over 30 years ago, and it is still true. Perhaps our focus should be on reducing the supply so that talk is no longer cheap?
Wonderful button. Maybe every organization should give everyone a button.
Listen more. Talk less. Simple to say. Hard to do.
How can you measure the impact of your words?
Do your words move people to take action?
Do you words help people see the problem or opportunity in a new way?
Do your words paint a picture so people can see a better future?
Great questions. You bring these questions to my mind.
What actions are your words causing?
What perspective did your conversation help form?
What future is created if this conversation is effective?
There are two questions I ask myself before I open my mouth.
1. “Is what I am about to say going to add any value to this conversation?” About 70% of the time the answer is NO. So I shut up and listen.
2. “Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?” The answer is almost always happy.
I wish I had learned these questions 20 years ago.
Brilliant questions, John. Thanks for adding them here.
Very useful perspective. “Making things simple is man’s most complicated task.” (Quote). This article neatly met that goal. Thank you for this value! -Tom
Glad you enjoy simplicity! An fool can make the obvious obscure.
Albert Einstein once said; “It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.” It’s about being curious first.
Thanks Joe. Curiosity solves many problems.