Lighthouses are designed to keep us safe on the water. They help us navigate and avoid rocks, shallows or other obstructions that will put is in danger. But there is something many people don’t realize: a lighthouse speaks a language, a language of light and sound. And every light and sound that comes from a lighthouse has meaning. The length and frequency of the horn blasts are part of that language. The color and pattern of the lights is part of that language. And together, those sounds and lights tell you which lighthouse you’re hearing or seeing, so that when you translate the language to a nautical chart, you can interpret exactly where you are and how to navigate around the danger.
However, if you don’t speak the language, the information is meaningless. A flash of light is just a flash of light. A horn blast is just noise. The lighthouse is doing its job. But if no one on board the boat can understand and interpret the language, then how impactful is the communication? Not very.
This means that a well-handled boat will have someone on board who speaks that language and can translate, and therefore keep the boat and everyone else on board safe. A well-handled boat has someone who speaks the language of lighthouses, knows how to read the chart, and can explain to everyone else what it all means, so the information is actually usable.
I love this idea, because it describes so much of what happens in organizations. Every day, important information is being broadcast to us. Data, market signals, customer feedback, strategy. Internal communication, external data… overwhelming amounts of information is available. All of it is designed to help us navigate business danger and make good decisions. And all of it coded in a language of its own. But if nobody on the team can translate it, it’s just lots of meaningless flashing lights and noise.
So the question isn’t only whether the information exists. It’s whether someone on your “boat” can understand and interpret the information, translate it to the chart, and then communicate the important information that everyone else needs. This translation isn’t a side task. It’s almost always going to be among the most important roles on the team.
We take this concept seriously at The Latimer Group (we are, after all, named after a famous Connecticut lighthouse, and built it right into our corporate branding). We speak and write all the time about information clarity and how powerful it is to speak in ways that translates critical information to the people around you… especially those who are making the key decisions and might need help with the translation.
So who is the translator on your boat? Does someone understand the signals, and can they translate those signals to others on the team? If you are the translator, never forget that you are playing one of the most important roles in any organization.
Have a great day.
[AUTHOR’S FOOTNOTE: Thanks to long time reader, friend and client Doug Shefsky for giving me the inspiration for this post.]
