THE TOOLKIT
Communication is an event in time.

When I first say this most people respond with, “Duh?!” The point of this piece of the formula is that our behaviors have a degree of permanence to them. This communicates a sense of importance regarding our behaviors, so choose wisely. We cannot erase things that we do or say. When we behave, it is like creating a small imprint in our viewers’ and listeners’ minds. We can try and alter or refine that imprint, but we cannot remove it, if it has been made.

I have always found it fascinating what some people remember and what others don’t. For example, I can tell you about the very first baseball game I ever attended. I can tell you the teams that played that day, the score, the roster, and where I sat. My father took me to the game; however, he has very little or no recollection about the detail, only that it happened. What does that communicate? Perhaps the game had more impact on me than it did him. Perhaps he had a lot on his mind that day. Perhaps it was a day I just never wanted to end. Whatever the message, it left an imprint. Sometimes these imprints are more memorable to us than to the people around us.