The Music of Words

¹twit·ter 
Pronunciation: \ˈtwi-tər\
Function: verb
1: to utter successive chirping noises
2 a: to talk in a chattering fashion b: giggle, titter
3: to tremble with agitation : flutter

I LOVE WORDS! I love their ancestry. I love their power. And I love the way they taste when well spoken. Any word, when deeply considered, can launch a thousand stories (think “grass” or “dress”).  One word, at the perfect moment, can change a life (think “yes”). I love words.

Twitter is a word.  In fact, twitter is a great word! It’s onomatopoetic (I never get to use that!), meaning the word sounds like its sense. It evokes all sorts of images: small birds twitching on limbs; adolescent friends’ high-pitched and ceaseless chatter; an uncontrollable shaking brought on by nervousness.

But it is not a word that evokes the strength, scope and utility it has newly come to represent!

I was a non-believer. I am transformed. This is why…

In my profession I champion storytelling for business purpose. We have spent far too long promoting features and benefits. In this new world having the right product is no longer sufficient. If I am going to do business with YOU, I want to know WHO YOU ARE. And that doesn’t come on the product brochure. But tell me your story and I’ll come to know you better.

Today it is all about trust and authenticity, the rediscovered language of commerce.

When Twitter first appeared on the scene, I was very skeptical. My understanding of the word prejudiced me against it. How can a process modeled on the utterance “of successive chirping noises” possibly be of any tangible value? Over coffee a few weeks back a good friend of mine offered up the description “relationship light” in reference to Twitter.  And to be honest, I wholeheartedly embraced his summation at the time. As one who strives to create stronger and deeper connections, this forum seemed like so much wasted bandwidth.

I was wrong. (Sing it with me: “I can see clearly now the rain has gone.”)

What I misunderstood is the net result of a collection of unassociated tweets (“posts” for the uninitiated). What I have found, in a very short period of exploration, is that these micro-moments come together to form an image of a very real person. This image may or may not be profound. It may or may not be clear. Much is determined by the quality and quantity of a Twit’s tweets. But anyone who posts more than occasionally provides their viewers with enough substance to create a decent representation.

This is not unlike storytelling. In my business I encourage professionals to unearth and practice the stories which best illustrate who they are, building a library of authentic Power Stories in the process. The purpose of this is to give them the skills to communicate a deeper sense of who they are. Obviously tweeting is a whole different angle, but it has much the same effect. Where my process gets professionals painting self-portraits in clear, bold strokes, Twitter is more impressionistic. Tiny little pieces resolving into meaningful whole.

Now, it must be said, not everyone uses Twitter for the same purpose and there are undoubtedly Twits who are creating false personas. But you have all the power and can associate with as many or as few members as you’d like. It is a remarkable forum, one worth your consideration.

When it comes to Twitter I was a twit (lower case, meaning “a silly annoying person”). Now I am a Twit (Uppercase, “more highly evolved person”). I am transformed. Care to join me? Take a look at www.twitter.com/Music_of_Words if you’re curious. It doesn’t hurt, I promise

Cheers!
   Robert