Why It Pays To Tell The Truth
It pays to tell the truth - all the time. Sometimes people forget this in business. For example, business presentations frequently strive to "sell" a product, an idea or a concept. Sometimes people stretch or "spin" the truth in business presentations. But there's no reason a business presentation can't be compelling simply by telling the truth.
I've often seen presentations that stretch or frankly ignore the truth, and focus on simply being compelling. And some of these presentations cross the line. They mislead and lie.
We all know that dishonesty is a sin. You don't need to be dishonest to make a compelling presentation. In fact, it's not uncommon that presenting something honestly can be even more compelling. Here's an example of that.
Sometimes when I'm working later on a Friday, I'll be listening to a classical radio station. At one time, the station used to broadcast a Jewish service from Temple Emmanuel on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The service announces the beginning of "Shabbat," the Sabbath, which for Jews begins on Friday evening at sundown. Once in a while I used to listen in.
One particular Friday in June, while I was listening, the Rabbi announced that services for the summer would be in the "Beth Emmanuel Chapel" adjacent to (or maybe part of) the Temple. It made me think of a similar announcement made the Sunday previous at the Catholic Church I attend. The difference in style was striking. At my Church, the priest announced that weekday Masses during the summer would be in the Chapel next to the Church. That was it.
The Rabbi, however, carefully described the beauty of the Beth Emmanuel Chapel, which included the fact that the stained glass window above the Ark was designed by Louis Tiffany (yes, THAT Tiffany). His invitation to join the congregation during the summer was quite compelling. He wasn't lying or even stretching the truth in any way.
The point: how we talk about or present our ideas matters. Not just to the speaker, who is trying to accomplish some objective, but to the listener. The speaker in the case of the Temple wants to make sure his congregation doesn't feel slighted in any way by moving the service the smaller venue. He's considerate of his listeners and serves his purposes in assuring attendance at services during the summer.
And when you break down what the Rabbi's saying, he's simply stating facts in describing the Chapel. He took the trouble to note the facts, think about them and write out those facts and his thoughts in a way that's compelling, in a way that considered not only his objective (summer attendance) but his audience as well.
Back to sales presentations. I know from experience that a lot of those presentations that stretch the truth in some way don't have to stretch or "spin" the facts. The Rabbi wasn't spinning anything. He took the time to note the facts, to understand how those simple facts would support or advance his purpose. What he said was perfectly true. And those facts are, in fact, compelling if you're Jewish and need a little extra motivation to attend services during the summer months in the Chapel.
By the way, I realize that our priest wasn't doing anything wrong in his plain, blunt announcement. In fact, it shouldn't matter at all that Mass would be in the chapel. Remember, we Catholics don't go to "services." We go to Mass to worship and adore God. We go to witness the sacrifice of Our Lord on the cross (albeit in an unbloody manner) and to receive Him Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. So we really shouldn't need any extra motivation when it comes to attending Mass, if we know the awesome facts about what the Mass really is.
The Rabbi, on the other hand, has got a bit more of a challenge in motivating his people. Maybe that's why he needed to "sell" his idea to his people. He focused on what's compelling about the chapel.
In the same way, that's why you need to focus on what's compelling about your idea when you sell an idea in any sort of presentation. Stick to the facts. But think about your audience and what might compel them to consider your idea favorably. How will those facts support your case. Then take the time to arrange the facts in such a way that your facts illustrate your point and your audience will understand everything you're trying to say.
You need to take the time to understand your audience. And it takes time to organize a presentation so that your compelling idea will be understood easily by your audience. It takes work to do this. But it pays off. In fact, it's a great example of how it pays to tell the truth.
I've often seen presentations that stretch or frankly ignore the truth, and focus on simply being compelling. And some of these presentations cross the line. They mislead and lie.
We all know that dishonesty is a sin. You don't need to be dishonest to make a compelling presentation. In fact, it's not uncommon that presenting something honestly can be even more compelling. Here's an example of that.
Sometimes when I'm working later on a Friday, I'll be listening to a classical radio station. At one time, the station used to broadcast a Jewish service from Temple Emmanuel on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. The service announces the beginning of "Shabbat," the Sabbath, which for Jews begins on Friday evening at sundown. Once in a while I used to listen in.
One particular Friday in June, while I was listening, the Rabbi announced that services for the summer would be in the "Beth Emmanuel Chapel" adjacent to (or maybe part of) the Temple. It made me think of a similar announcement made the Sunday previous at the Catholic Church I attend. The difference in style was striking. At my Church, the priest announced that weekday Masses during the summer would be in the Chapel next to the Church. That was it.
The Rabbi, however, carefully described the beauty of the Beth Emmanuel Chapel, which included the fact that the stained glass window above the Ark was designed by Louis Tiffany (yes, THAT Tiffany). His invitation to join the congregation during the summer was quite compelling. He wasn't lying or even stretching the truth in any way.
The point: how we talk about or present our ideas matters. Not just to the speaker, who is trying to accomplish some objective, but to the listener. The speaker in the case of the Temple wants to make sure his congregation doesn't feel slighted in any way by moving the service the smaller venue. He's considerate of his listeners and serves his purposes in assuring attendance at services during the summer.
And when you break down what the Rabbi's saying, he's simply stating facts in describing the Chapel. He took the trouble to note the facts, think about them and write out those facts and his thoughts in a way that's compelling, in a way that considered not only his objective (summer attendance) but his audience as well.
Back to sales presentations. I know from experience that a lot of those presentations that stretch the truth in some way don't have to stretch or "spin" the facts. The Rabbi wasn't spinning anything. He took the time to note the facts, to understand how those simple facts would support or advance his purpose. What he said was perfectly true. And those facts are, in fact, compelling if you're Jewish and need a little extra motivation to attend services during the summer months in the Chapel.
By the way, I realize that our priest wasn't doing anything wrong in his plain, blunt announcement. In fact, it shouldn't matter at all that Mass would be in the chapel. Remember, we Catholics don't go to "services." We go to Mass to worship and adore God. We go to witness the sacrifice of Our Lord on the cross (albeit in an unbloody manner) and to receive Him Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. So we really shouldn't need any extra motivation when it comes to attending Mass, if we know the awesome facts about what the Mass really is.
The Rabbi, on the other hand, has got a bit more of a challenge in motivating his people. Maybe that's why he needed to "sell" his idea to his people. He focused on what's compelling about the chapel.
In the same way, that's why you need to focus on what's compelling about your idea when you sell an idea in any sort of presentation. Stick to the facts. But think about your audience and what might compel them to consider your idea favorably. How will those facts support your case. Then take the time to arrange the facts in such a way that your facts illustrate your point and your audience will understand everything you're trying to say.
You need to take the time to understand your audience. And it takes time to organize a presentation so that your compelling idea will be understood easily by your audience. It takes work to do this. But it pays off. In fact, it's a great example of how it pays to tell the truth.
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