EMPATHY:

Content Strategy’s
Hidden Deliverable

#empathy
HI.

I’M COREY VILHAUER

@mrvilhauer
 BLEND
INTERACTIVE
@blendtweets

SIOUX FALLS,
SOUTH DAKOTA
 SIOUX FALLS,
SOUTH DAKOTA
 KNOWING INFO ≠
COMMUNICATING INFO
AHA!
LISTEN
LISTEN
UNDERSTAND
LISTEN
UNDERSTAND
SOLVE
UNDERSTAND
SOLVE
SOLVE
EMPATHY
 EMPATHY
The action of understanding, being
aware of, being sensitive to, and
vicariously experiencing the feelings,
thoughts, and experience of another of
either the past or present without
having the feelings, thoughts, and
experience fully communicated in an
objectively explicit manner.
 EMPATHY
“...empathy can be described
as feeling the feelings of
another with the greatest
accuracy and effort.”
- Whitney Hess
BUT...
 THE
CLIENT
 THE
TEAM
 THE
CO-WORKER
THE
BOSS
 THE
EDITOR
CONTENT STRATEGY
CONTENT STRATEGY
CONTENT STRATEGY
PEOPLE
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE:
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE:
CONTENT STRATEGY
EDITION
CHANGE
IS HARD
“Change isn’t an event;
it’s a process.”
- Dan Heath / Chip Heath
“Content strategy is really
about choreographing
multiple talents, roles and
personalities...”
- Ahava Leibtag
LACK OF OVERSIGHT
LACK OF OVERSIGHT

TALENT MISMATCH
LACK OF OVERSIGHT

TALENT MISMATCH

POLITICAL INFIGHTING
WRITING
IS EGO
WORDS ARE
PERSONAL
FAILURE IS
CERTAIN,
 FAILURE IS
CERTAIN,
UNAVOIDABLE
 FAILURE IS
CERTAIN,
UNAVOIDABLE
AND
NECESSARY
 “You need to create the
expectation of failure - not the
failure of the mission itself,
but failure en route.”
- Dan Heath / Chip Heath
 “No matter how good a cook
you are, and no matter how
hard you try, the first pancake
of the batch always sucks.”
- Merlin Mann
HOW DO WE DO IT?
1.
BE CURIOUS
ASK QUESTIONS
What makes you crazy?
What makes you crazy?
What kind of help do
you wish you had?
What makes you crazy?
What kind of help do
you wish you had?
What is your workflow?
What makes you crazy?
What kind of help do
you wish you had?
What is your workflow?
Who owns this project?
What makes you crazy?
What kind of help do
you wish you had?
What is your workflow?
Who owns this project?
Why do you continue
doing this?
“There’s a chance that
things’ll get weird.
- Archers of Loaf
2.
BE CLEAR
 JARGON
WEASEL WORDS
SUCKING
 JARGON
WEASEL WORDS
SUCKING
 JARGON
WEASEL WORDS
SUCKING
 JARGON
WEASEL WORDS
SUCKING
 “When the client feels like
they have some input during
the project planning phase,
they are more likely to enjoy
the ride.”
- Melissa Rach
3.
BE DELIBERATE
3.
BE DELIBERATE

(does not need)

4.
BE CONNIVING
IDENTIFY
STRENGTHS
AND PLAY
TO THEM
5.
BE A TEACHER
PROVIDE TOOLS
PROVIDE TOOLS
WITHIN REASON
PEOPLE WORK
DIFFERENTLY
YOU CAN’T WIN
EVERY BATTLE.
HOW MUCH CHANGE
CAN WE HANDLE?
HOPE FOR THE BEST
THANK YOU.
 I am still
COREY VILHAUER

blendinteractive.com
eatingelephant.com
blackmarks.net
 RESOURCES

eatingelephant.com/2012/10/
empathytalk