It's a Fricken' Elephant

Just started reading the book Less Clutter. Less Noise. and I think I may be posting quite a few excerpts if the rest of the book strikes me like the first couple pages did. Kem Meyer, Communications Director at Granger Community Church wrote this book for anyone involved in communications but especially to those in the church world. That's where I find myself, in the church world, trying to get the word out and struggling at times to know how to proceed.

In reality it's not what you say; it's what people hear.....

I heard a story about a grandpa helping his four-year-0ld grandson learn to read. The boy pointed to a picture in a zoo book and said, "Look, Grandpa! It's a frickin' elephant." The grandpa took a deep breath and asked, "What did you call it?"

His grandson repeated himself.

"It's a frickin' elephant, Grandpa! It says so on the picture!"

And, so it did. When the grandpa looked down at the picture, it read,

"A F R I C A N Elephant."

It's not what you say; it's what people hear."