All We Know

19 Jun All We Know

In communication, your schema is a library made up of symbols, images, and experiences stored in your brain. We all have different schema, so when you hear an unfamiliar piece of information, the brain scans your hard drive. If it can’t find the specific definition, the default search is what’s it like? That’s what speakers must supply.

In Walter Isaacson’s new book, The Code Breaker, he writes about CRISPR and the race for gene editing, not a subject most of us are familiar with. This is an important topic since the COVID vaccine was fueled by this scientific discovery.

Isaacson skillfully provides a simile to light up our schemas. “Two elements are at the core of the CRISPR system – a small snippet of RNA that acts as a guide and an enzyme that acts as scissors.” Even if we don’t know precisely what that means, we fill it in with our stored knowledge based on the clear image he provides.

Our clients are in science, financial services, technology, medical, etc. All have specific lexicons and all are complex. When speaking to wider audiences, pitching for business, or seeking referrals, create similes, or what it’s like… so that your audience tracks, understands and stays with you.