HR Leaders >> here is a quick tip for you. Start using video more instead of text to get your messages out.Why? It makes people fall in love more easily than text.
To see an example > check out the “President’s message” video (above) I sent out to the Birmingham Society of HR Management members
Let me explain. HR folks want to accomplish two things with messaging:
- To be heard
- Create empathy (that’s the people side)
Video helps you do both. And it only takes 5 minutes to do!
Here is a great article from Psychology Today that will give you more tasty tidbits, stats, and info on using Video vs. Text than I ever could. But here are some take aways from the article:
- “Videos are processed by the brain 60,000 times faster than text“. So, if you want something absorbed more quickly, video may help.
- Video’s are easy to digest: folks who use the internet typically prefer video. It’s just easier for your brain. According the Psychology Today article, reading text is active; watching videos are passive (aka easier).
- “Videos create an empathetic connection“. When you see that video of the dog greeting his master who just got back from Afghanistan, or the “Twist Like A Tornado, Girl” (which is actually quite touching) you have an visceral response. Employees feel a connection with you more easily that text.
Tools to create quick video:
- Use any smart phone
- Use a program called eCamm to record Skype video calls
- Typically every laptop has a camera/video feature built in
- Hit the record button
- You – talk
Tips:
- Be yourself
- Make it quick (ish)
- Just like any text email, it will linger, so make sure it is work appropriate.
- If you aren’t personable in front of a camera — practice first. If it is a medium that makes you nervous and can’t overcome it – assign someone from your team to do it. I’m not a fan of videos that are like “press releases”. Those defeat the point of “connection”
So, Cecil B. DeMille — get filming.
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