Paul Schmidt on the craft of delivering a successful message
In this episode, I engage in a fascinating conversation with Paul Schmidt, a lecturer in management communications at the Ivey School of Business and manager of the Writing Support Center at the University of Western Ontario.
Paul shares insights on making impactful changes to how we use language to communicate effectively about sustainability and conservation efforts. We discuss the importance of emotional connection, factual storytelling, positive messaging, and empathy in crafting messages that resonate with diverse audiences and encourage behavioral change. This episode highlights the challenges and necessary strategies for delivering successful sustainability messages to inspire action.
04:12 Challenges in Sustainability Communication
05:34 Defining Sustainability
07:56 Tailoring Messages to Different Audiences
09:07 Pragmatic Approaches to Sustainability
13:20 Building Trust in Sustainability Efforts
17:06 Behavioral Change and Positive Messaging
26:45 Reaching Younger Audiences
28:58 Making Sustainability Fun
30:07 Reframing Sustainability Messaging
31:21 Shifts in Sustainable Practices
32:49 Transparent Communication and Empathy
35:44 The Power of Storytelling
38:27 Crafting Relatable Stories
44:27 Collaborative Efforts in Storytelling
45:52 Final Thoughts and Reflections