Do you communicate with IMPACT?

“Communicating with IMPACT”... Sounds great, right?

But what does that even mean?

Meet Jennifer Lee, one of the most impactful communicators I know.

Jennifer T. Lee

Creating impact is Jennifer’s superpower. She’s an inspiring and bold leader who creates impact in her roles as a sr. partner at Deloitte, university lecturer at the University of Toronto, and board member at Trillium Health Partners, amongst others.

In the latest Talk About Talk podcast episode, Jennifer shares her definition of impact:

Isn’t that brilliant?

In a business context it’s about making new moves and changes. In a mentoring and coaching context it’s about encouraging others to try something new and different. And in a community context, it’s about demonstrating value and inspiring others to take action.

So HOW can we elevate our impact? Read on…

The Power of 3

That’s right, it’s the trusty Power of 3!

I’ve said this before – and Jennifer agrees – but there’s something really powerful about the number 3.

It’s substantive without being overwhelming. As Jennifer says, people remember things in 3s.

If you come in with a list of 5 things (or 25 – yikes!), chances are you’ll lose the room.

Elevate your IMPACT:
Make 3 your default.

Tell Stories

Another way to elevate your impact is to use storytelling in your communication. Stories are engaging, and make your message more memorable and impactful.

I’m not suggesting you start your next presentation with, “Once upon a time…” And your story does not need to be “epic”!

Try looking for overarching analogies or themes to make connections and simplify your message.

Image by wildpixel from Getty Images/Canva

Jennifer shared the example of the “story” of her career. Articulating the common thread that has run through her (impressive) career helps others make sense of her trajectory. It’s also inspiring for herself!

What’s YOUR common thread?

Jennifer’s “common thread” is CREATING IMPACT. As I was interviewing Jennifer for the podcast, it occurred to me that Jennifer was IMPACTING me, and she’d also impact you. (How meta!)

Thank you, Jen!

Jennifer T. Lee

Speaking of impact, I received some fantastic questions over the past few weeks. Do YOU have a communication skills question for me? Please email me or record your question here…. You might even hear your voice on a future episode!