Make them feel included

Hello everybody. Just a quick one from me, especially aimed at new bloggers and video makers from recent observations.

The choice of pronouns that you use is important. It can affect how your message comes across and can convey different styles and moods.

When I went for my Chartered Engineer interviews I was told in very strong terms that I should use the words I and me in the interviews and never we or us. So I used expressions like - I did this, I decided, I made, it was me that created, it was me that succeeded, and so on. The idea being, I was told, that you are creating an egocentric attitude, I’m the engineer, I’m in charge, I make the decisions and so on.

So there I sit, all going swimmingly, I did, I made, I decided …

And then I blundered, “… when we set up the training center …”

What! One of the interviewers picked up on this, almost before I had finished the sentence.

What do you mean – WE.

I made the quickest recovery ever …

When I say we, I mean that I created all the training plans, set up all the training rigs and I created all the training manuals. The other person just provided the premises and the training room.

OK. That’s acceptable, carry on. Panic over, and I passed the interviews.

Now roll forwards to the very next day, when I’m stood in front of a dozen electricians on a training course. My word choice is completely different – all very inclusive, using words like - We must choose, when we select, this tells us, - lots of us and we words. It makes the students feel involved, they feel that they are already achieving something from the course, they feel part of a group. And if you can get the learners to gel as a group, they will self-support each other, they will exchange information with each other, they will help each other with calculations and homework.

A sort of all for one and one for all attitude will prevail.

So my point is, when creating blogs and videos, think about the style of the message that you want to convey. Especially if you have a teaching blog, use those us and you pronouns to make the viewer feel involved. Help them to feel that the video is for them, about them. If they feel that they have been included, that they have been warmly accepted into the group, then they will come back for more.

Try it next time you write something – am I including my viewers. We, me, you, I

Enjoy the journey

Bux