Say What They Can't Unhear with Tamsen Webster

In this episode, host Nola Simon interviews Tamsen Webster about her new book "Say What They Can't Unhear" and discusses effective messaging strategies for driving change.

Key topics covered:

• Tamsen's background as a message designer and "English to English translator"
• The importance of understanding deep beliefs when trying to inspire change
• How to find common ground and build on existing beliefs rather than challenging them
• The "smart, capable, and good" approach to empathy in communication
• Why the "deepest beliefs are hardest to shift" and how to work with that principle
• Challenges with return-to-office mandates and aligning messaging with employee experiences
• The concept of "recognizable truths" that resonate with audiences
• How to present change in a way that doesn't conflict with people's existing worldviews
• The role of cognitive empathy in understanding others' perspectives
• Why messages need to pass both logical and emotional checks to be effective

Tamsen shares insights from her experience as a Weight Watchers leader and how those lessons apply to organizational change. She emphasizes the importance of starting with where people already are and finding ways to align change with their existing goals and beliefs.

The conversation explores why many change initiatives fail and how leaders can improve their approach by truly understanding their audience's perspective. Tamsen's book "Say What They Can't Unhear" provides a framework for creating more effective and resonant messaging.

Learn more about Tamsen Webster:

Part message designer, part English-to-English translator, part magpie, Tamsen Webster helps leaders craft their case for large-scale change. In addition to her work in and for major organizations such as Harvard Medical School, Fidelity Investments, and Klaviyo, she’s a judge and mentor for the Harvard Innovation Labs, a professional advisor at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, and has spent over 10 years as the Idea Strategist for one of only nine legacy-level TEDx events in the world. She was named to the Thinkers50 Radar in 2022 and is the author of two books, Find Your Red Thread: Make Your Big Ideas Irresistible and Say What They Can't Unhear: The 9 Principles of Lasting Change. She lives in Boston with her husband, two sons, and two brindle Greyhounds, Hazel and Walnut.

Tamsen Webster - Message Designer, Author, Keynote Business Speaker

www.messagedesigninstitute.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsenwebster