About 15 years ago, I was training and coaching a room full of business leaders from an Indian tech firm trying to gain a foothold in the USA. Partway through the morning, the CEO started using cricket metaphors with me. After little while, and after faking an understanding of a sport I know precious little about, I had to interrupt. “I’m sorry, but I don’t really understand the game of cricket, so your metaphor is lost on me.”
He smiled. That was exactly what he wanted me to say.
“Ah,” he said. “Now you know how we feel when you use a metaphor from American football.”
Which, apparently, I had been doing all morning.
I’ve never forgotten that. Metaphors are powerful. They take something complicated and put it into a simpler context. But they only work if they land in the other person’s world, not yours. Mine was full of touchdowns and running plays and “clouds of dust.” But in that room, my metaphor was worthless noise. It meant nothing to them, and my metaphor was having the opposite of the intended effect.
What did I do wrong? And how should you pick a metaphor that lands and helps the audience’s understanding?
First thing, you do is listen. Put yourself in their shoes. Think about things from their perspective. And with your most important stakeholders, listen for clues about what they like to do. Their hobbies. Their weekend passions. Those little nuggets are gold, because they tell you exactly how to translate a complicated topic for that person.
Metaphors do more than simplify. They connect. When a topic is controversial or emotionally charged, a simple metaphor takes some of the heat out of it. It gives everyone something neutral to look at together, so people stop defending positions and start picturing the same thing. It humanizes the conversation.
That CEO understood this. He didn’t tell me my language was getting in the way. He made me feel it instead.
So think about the person you most need to reach this week. What do you know about what they love? And have you ever tried explaining your idea in those terms?
Good luck and have a great day!
