Mic Check Vol. 19: Relentlessly asking why

If your kid is in the "why" phase, it's probably making you smarter.

One way children become better critical thinkers is simply by having adults in their life ask them questions rather than tell them statements. If you're working to become a better communicator, this is a cognitive development tool you can hack: after you read or listen to something that really resonated with you, ask yourself why it stuck.

I practiced this with an episode of Lenny's Podcast that I sent to a friend this week (more recommended listening below!). Rather than the usual "🔥🔥🔥 must listen!" note, I pushed myself to really explain what it was that made the episode click. While the subject matter was fascinating, Lenny's communication skill is really what made this episode (and the whole series, honestly) a home run. So what makes Lenny Rachitsky such an excellent communicator in my book? 

I think it boils down to: 

1. Authenticity: It's clear that Lenny is asking questions because he's genuinely curious about the answers (and knows his audience is, too). I know this because he asks his questions almost exactly how they've formed in my own mind (how does he do this?!), not like an SEO-optimized subheading.

2. Preparation: Lenny knows exactly where the conversation is going before it even begins, which keeps me as a listener hooked 'til the end. 

3. Juxtaposition to the alternative: In a sea of Twitter and LinkedIn personalities yelling about their expertise in literally everything, Lenny's Podcast has a quiet power. He broaches topics kindly and asks questions that only an expert would think to ask. 

As you work your way through your respective bookshelves, I challenge you to treat your content consumption as both a study in the subject matter and in communication strategies that click. 
 

Happy weekend,

Raman at Rhetoric
 

📚 Open tabs

What team Rhetoric is reading during those awkwardly-timed few minutes between Zooms. 

I've heard many people insist that writing microcopy is the best way to learn how to communicate well, and after reading this breakdown of effective and ineffective error messages, I'm inclined to agree. 

Very cool to watch live as a company realizes that its current business is, in fact, a feature of the company it is destined to be: [Klarna] is rolling out a creator platform, shoppable video content, and a comprehensive search tool.

Every role (in my opinion) benefits from being a great communicator, but product managers face several unique challenges that require deft storytelling skills. How do you wrap many disparate features into a cohesive story? How do communicate this to both external and internal stakeholders? Janna Bastow's interview on Lenny's Podcast touches on storytelling for product managers, and I can't recommend it enough. 

✨ New ways to present better

Here's what's going on at Rhetoric this week:

Keep the conversation going: you can now leave comments on split screen layouts.

Have a feature idea you want to see in Rhetoric? Add it to our public roadmap!