Shannon's thoughts on marketing, public relations, social technology, entrepreneurship and other things

Shannon Mouton
Shannon Mouton

the principal at Topaz Consulting, is a relationship marketing professional, with a passion for utilizing social technology for building B2B/B2C relationships, sharing information, networking and advancing the greater good. She has over 20 years of public relations, marketing and community building experience. Her combination of political, nonprofit, higher ed and corporate experience has afforded her opportunities to build communities where none existed, develop and launch innovative programming and bridge generational, economic and racial divides.

Shannon serves on the board of directors for the In Series, a Washington, DC performing arts organization. She is a regular contributor to Women Grow Business and Discover Exceptionalism, and her blog, Shannon Sez So, examines life's joys, pains and idiosyncrasies. Shannon is the founder of Topaz Consulting, a DC based marketing consultancy with a nationwide portfolio of clients. She graduated from Mount Vernon College (now part of The George Washington University) and is a proud native Washingtonian.

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2010 (74)
 

Words, Words and more Words

Words have caused wars, swayed elections and destroyed families...why?
Words have brought about change, encouraged peace and lifted hearts...how?

When written, they are scribbles and doodles you put on a piece of paper and when spoken, they are modulations and intonations riding on your breath. Words are neither good or bad, right or wrong, supportive or destructive...they are simply words. According to Dictionary.com, a word is a "unit of language...that functions as the principal carrier of meaning."

And therein lies the crux of the matter, "meaning."

The meaning of a word, it's definition, along with, the context of its use and its etymology are part of what makes words so fascinating. There are some words in the American English language that can not be said on mainstream television because of their meaning and the context with which they are most often used. There are also words certain groups find offensive because the history of the word is so disturbing. There are words that fall out of use for various reasons, and there are new words that become part of the national vocabulary every year due to new technologies or the blending of cultures.

So what's the big deal with words, why are some people seemingly so obsessed with them? Why do writer's anguish for hours over just the right word in a sentence? Why do communication professionals go back-and-forth with colleagues over articles, conjunctions and prepositions in copy?

It all has to do with "meaning," not the word's definition. The word's ultimate meaning has more to do with the reader's and hearer's perceptions than you may think. Consider this example from a fundraising appeal.

We invite you to become a production underwriter...
We invite you to become a co-owner of a production...

Both sentences are clearly asking donors for money; however, the second one has a different meaning. When you own something, it is yours; you have a right to change or alter it, build it up or tear it down, keep it or sell it and so forth. For instance, stock owners have a say in how a company is run; car owners can determine its color and home owners can make decisions about the dwelling. Is this what the writer really wanted to convey? Did the writer really want contributors to have a say in the production?

Yes, words matter...choose wisely.

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The 7 Bad Business Words

The seven worst words to utter in business: this is how we've always done it...blah, blah, blah.

There are a number of plausible explanations for saying them.

  • "It" worked in the past. There is a record of success by doing "it" this way. 
  • People don't respond well to change. This is how the clients and the bosses like "it." 
  • There aren't enough resources to come up with or implement new ways for doing "it."
  • There is a lack of enthusiasm, energy and moral for doing "it" in the first place.

Those excuses may have sufficed at one time, but not anymore. Organizations and stakeholders are looking for, and have come to expect, innovative thinking, out-of-the-box ideas and no-holds-barred solutions. Doing "it" as you always have just won't work anymore. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained…now is the time to take a risk and push “it” to the next level.

  1. Get motivated. This is an opportunity for you to learn something new, do something different and make a difference in your organization. 

  2. Build a team. Take this occasion to work with different people in the organization; new people bring new energy, new perspectives and new ideas. 

  3. Pace yourself. Use this moment to make one or two distinctive incremental changes, instead of rebuilding “it” from the ground up. 

  4. Seek counsel. The people who’ve done “it” for the last several years have the wisdom of experience and lessons learned; they are your allies. 

  5. Keep smiling. “It” has been done the same way for seemingly eons, some people may not understand, be comfortable or want “it” to change. Remember, in the end, adjusting “it” is for the betterment of the entire organization.

Take "it" on with gusto and make it yours!

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