On October 5, 2011, Steve Jobs passed away at the age of 56. His death spread across the world via the devices that he himself created and marketed to the world. No one can doubt his contribution to the world, but what is perhaps is just as fascinating as the technology he imagined is the way he delivered it to the world.
Steve Jobs the Person
Steve Jobs was born to working class parents. Aside from his natural curiosity and passion, his early life offers little to indicate that he had any advantages over anyone else when it came to effective communication. He was born on February 24, 1955 in San Francisco to an unmarried graduate student. He was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs who raised him to pursue his curiosity to the fullest.
His humble beginnings in his family garage and then the astronomical growth of his company over the years is a testament to his passion which sprang from feeding this curiosity. According to CBS News Jobs' passion electrified him and drove him to have extremely high standards. In order to meet these standards, he would need to become the sharpest communicator possible.
The Cost of Poor Communication
Imagine if Jobs had invented the Mac and not told anyone. While this may sound ridiculous in hind sight, the reality is that had it not been for his legendary presentations and ability to communicate his passions, this easily could have happened.
Think about the Vioxx trial in August 2005 that ultimately cost the company $523 million because (as noted in the Wall Street Journal) jurors simply did not understand the company’s message. According to the University of Maryland, corporations are not the only ones who suffer. A study by the University that was announced in 2009 stated that poor communication costs hospitals $12 million annually.
It’s easy to see that poor communication ultimately costs a company time, money, people, and business opportunities. Steve Jobs was not interested in losing any of these.
Over time, Jobs developed into a presenter who electrified his audiences, all while dashing around a stage in jeans, running shoes, and a black turtle neck. So what can we learn about communication from Jobs?
Lesson #1: Passion rules
No matter what field, no matter what level of accomplishment, all successful people demonstrate a passion for the work they do. It is this passion that propels ordinary people to become superheroes in front of an audience. Nothing can stop a passionate person.
If one finds the passion in a subject, the presentation is well on its way to being amazing.
Lesson #2: Be prepared
Many of the words often used to describe Jobs as a presenter could erroneously suggest that he dashed on stage with little more than his passion and casual attire. He is noted to be relaxed, casual, comfortable, and even spontaneous, but all of that came as a result of hours of practice. In fact, Jobs was widely known to spend days preparing.
The same is true for written communication. Before one begins a document, it is vital to have all of the relevant background and resources. Simply diving in and hoping for the best can result in unclear thinking which translates into unclear writing.
There is never and will never be any substitute for preparing.
Lesson #3: Always remember tools are just tools
Never let PowerPoint slides, handouts, or props become anything more than tools. Too often people either use them as a crutch to hide nervousness or to be the focal point in place of actual substance. Jobs was a master at using simple items to provide a visual support, but kept his message front and center.
In his book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs, Carmine Gallo argues that Jobs followed a three step process for communication:
- Create the story
- Deliver the experience
- Refine and rehearse
Tools are a part of delivering the experience, but are never the whole of it according to Gallo who quotes Jobs as saying "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Adding visual imagery to a presentation or a document can assist in helping one's audience remember important points, but be simple and elegant.
Lesson #4: Underwear is optional
Okay, so maybe no one knows if Jobs wore underwear during his presentations, but one thing that is known is that he believed in being the unexpected. For example, rather than using a string of adjectives when he introduced the MacBook Air, he simply reveals the actual product and lets it speak for itself. The human brain is wired to remember what is interesting. Whether it is a written document or an oral presentation, good communicators remember that keeping the attention of the audience via a clear, relevant, interesting message is the golden rule.
And One More Thing
After Jobs had completely taken the breath away from his audience, he always added that one more surprising element introduced by the phrase "One more thing." It was a cue to his audience that something big was coming. When communicating practice, be clear, and allow your passion to make that "one more thing" memorable.
Lynne Smelser - Ph.D. in English, M.A. in Professional Writing, B.A. in Journalism, and more than 15 years of publishing success
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