Years ago, before the age of the internet, when you got sick, you went to the doctor, she told you what was wrong, and what to do about it. The doctor had all (or most of) the information, so her job was to distribute that information to you so you could decide how to proceed.
Now, think about the way that pharmaceutical companies advertise. They go straight to the consumer, with commercials targeted at specific illnesses or conditions: “Do you suffer from ____? If so, talk to your doctor about _____…” They essentially create patients and create demand by giving EVERYONE information to which only doctors were once privy. The consumer takes the information to the doctor, saying, “I think I may have _____,” and then the doctor sorts through it and pares it down to what’s most critical (and accurate).
This changes the communication role of the doctor. When the communicator has the most information, his job is to distribute that information. But when EVERYONE has that information (perhaps even some MISinformation), the role of the communicator becomes about interpretation, analysis, etc.
The broad dissemination of information has impacted every industry on the planet. When no one has information, information is power. However, when everyone has information, interpretation becomes power. The ability to correct misinformation becomes power.
The communicator who will thrive and have competitive advantage in today’s business world will be the one who’s able to react to likely questions, anticipate objections, and scrutinize the information at hand, and boil it down to its essence, and its truth.
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