Words That Change Minds

I've been reading this fascinating book by Shelle Rose Charvet (that's her) about how language patterns are clues to how we behave and respond in different contexts, and how to learn to recognise language patterns and so tailor our own communications to fit better with other people's mindsets and world views.

It's a great book, and I won't regurgitate it here, but I will quickly show you one example of tailoring a communication towards a specifc type of person after some initial profiling work had been done to establish the qualities required for a job. Below are two advertisements for a position as Production Manager, the first one written by the entrepreneur who was doing the hiring, the second written by Ms Charvet after the profiling exercise. 

1. Private fast-growing engineering company manufacturing high-tech quality machinery for worldwide export has immediate opening for decision maker to manage production division. Production to double within the next year necessitates efficient co-ordination of rapidly expanding department. Right candidate must have minimum 10 years related experience. Emphasis on organization, planning, and purchasing. Candidates must have excellent people-management and leadership skills.

2. Immediate opening for a proactive Plant Manager who will grow with this engineering company, which manufactures high-tech quality machinery for worldwide export. The right candidate will manage the production division, solving technical, people and governance-compliance issues by following procedures and developing new ones when necessary. You will set standards and assure they are consistently met, even under the pressure of ambitious delivery targets. You are highly experienced and skilled in project and people management and purchasing, and can prove it. The first step is to call now for all the information you need.

Subtly different, and a great example of how goal-oriented entrepreneurs sometimes get things wrong when they assume that everyone who works for them, or who buys from them, ought to be like them!  

King of Kings, the director's cut

 My TV schedule last Easter described how the making of the movie King of Kings (dir. Nicholas Ray, 1961) occasioned such trouble. Not in the sense of causing a great spiritual awakening in those who watched it, but in the consternation that the director's radical approach to the gospels caused among studio executives. 

There was much hype during the filming, the banning of interviews with the leading man, Jeffrey Hunter, amongst other attempts to stoke the fires of publicity. And the sense of alarm among production bosses was such that they made Hunter re-record all his lines in a more assertive way, and the ending of the movie was re-shot by another director. 

Perhaps when the story of Jesus is being turned to commercial purposes, then the commercial overrides every other consideration. How is the story playing? Is it a story that people like, or identify with?  Is it within some kind of spiritual bell curve, safely where the numbers will repay the investment, where the crowd cover is everywhere and any challenge can be safely contained within expected boundaries, within the group? 

Perhaps the story of Jesus is always being turned to someone's commercial purpose, not perhaps for money, but for position, or the need to be right, or the need to judge or disenfranchise the other. So for this Easter, I wish you your own director's cut of the story of Jesus, your own unique and authentic engagement with and understanding of this great and timeless story. I hope that whatever voice you hear the words of Jesus in may be an authentic voice that speaks directly to your holy of holies, and that the voice might sound something like your own.