By Ignite Excellence

Right up front, I have to confess that I am an analogy guy. Most of my analogies relate back to my days serving tables. I have been known to compare product frustrations to "being at the table trying to serve empty plates," and cross-functional support to "the hostess deciding what 'medium-rare' looks like." They may not always work, but for me there is nothing as fulfilling – nor as convincing – as a good analogy.

So, those of us at the forefront of change initiatives in our organizations are:

• like explorers trying to find the New World, or
• like sushi chefs, or
• are we more like (insert your favourite here)?

Whatever the analogy, those of us at the vanguard of change initiatives often have to communicate our message to different groups of people. As we have discussed here before, people will have different communication needs; they will also see different forms of evidence as more convincing.

Written Evidence
Many people will say that strong written communication is key to getting your point across. If you are relying on sheer quantity of "compelling evidence," you may find that your 2.54cm-thick supporting document may stall on your decision maker's desk or may be dismissed before being fully read and understood. Graphs and all, this type of document will only be effective when the person you are working to influence:

1. Trusts you (and will give you the benefit of the doubt);
2. Easily digests details and specifics;
3. Has the time to give you the attention that you need;
4. Doesn't find anything in the initial part of the document to trigger an emotional motivator that impedes his or her processing of the rest of your well-prepared document.

Note: Going "four-for-four" on this list is like having a perfect NFL season even when you can't lip-read the oppositions' play calls.

In all Ignite Excellence programs we talk about delivering the right information at the right time. The information is "right" when it:

1. Serves your purpose (e.g., it demonstrates the strength of the initiative you are furthering), and;
2. Gives the other person "what the other person needs to hear" to see it your way.

The time is "right" when the person is open to receive the communication. This means he will try to understand you, as opposed to just trying to show you that he is listening, while he's busy worrying about a more-pressing issue.
Mixing in a healthy dose of TRUST (e.g., "I will give you the benefit of the doubt") changes the recipe drastically, and takes a lot of pressure off the evidence that you provide.

When you can't count on getting the benefit of the doubt – or you lack credibility, such that your saying something actually raises doubt about it – your evidence is critical. You want to be able to say: "It's not just me saying it; listen to/look at this."
Evidence takes a number of different forms based on the type of information that the other person naturally gravitates toward.

• Are you talking to someone who lives for the details? Load up on the data, run the numbers and grab some statistical support.
• Are you talking to someone who needs results right away? Put together a quick case study that clearly illustrates why what you are doing has worked in the past, or how a competing idea has failed in the past.
• Are you talking to someone who puts a lot of faith in others' opinions? Drop some names of people who are supporting you.
• Are you talking to someone who needs to see it to believe it? Figure out a way to involve them in a demo, a walk-through or a modeling exercise.

Sometimes, getting our ideas across to people is like being asked to get something out of someone else's locker at the gym: you have to know which locker AND you need the combination.
When someone tells you where the locker is (i.e., what they are interested in), listen carefully and remember every last detail. If they like and trust you, they may not mind helping you find the locker if you forget or stray.
Once you are at the right locker, you still need the right combination. The right type of information (i.e., evidence) will loosen that lock and increase your chances that the lock will open (i.e., the person will buy into your ideas).