How does your particular communication style impact your life and work? Whether you’re pitching investors, leading a team, or sharing research, your communication style determines whether your ideas take root. Recently, I was asked to give a keynote at a science conference in Slovenia. As a frame, I chose to compare how four scientists’s communication styles shaped not only their lives, but how their work shaped science. Who were these scientists and what can we learn from them? Let’s start by comparing two.
Nikola Tesla: Visionary Futurist
If you know anything about the late 19th century “War of the Currents”, you know the name Nikola Tesla. Tesla emigrated to the US from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, from an area now known as Croatia. After arriving in the US, he worked for a short time with Thomas Edison, but soon set out on his own.
Tesla is most known for his AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, which earned him a considerable amount of money. But his genius went beyond power systems. He explored worldwide wireless power, intercontinental wireless communication, and what he called “death rays.” This gives you a sense of Tesla’s communication style.
A Confused Mind Says No
Many called Tesla the “solo genius”. He spoke in complex, abstract terms about his inventions—not attempting to make his ideas common to a non-scientific audience. He famously said, “Let the future tell the truth.” You could say that he believed in the science so much that he thought it would speak for itself. How did his approach to communication affect adoption of his ideas?
Tesla led with complexity. He believed his ideas would speak for themselves — but a confused mind says no.
Toward the end of his life, Tesla was living between hotel rooms in New York City. He eventually ran out of money and his work faded from public view for decades. I wonder, would Tesla’s ideas have been more widely accepted—and funded—if he had communicated in a way that connected better with his audience? I think so. Compare his communication style with Thomas Edison.
Thomas Edison: Practical Problem Solver
American inventor and scientist Thomas Edison knew his American audience. He knew they liked simple messages and practical applications. He also knew how to grab their attention.
On December 31, 1879, Edison invited the public to visit his Menlo Park, New Jersey workshop grounds. When the sun went down, he gave them a show. He illuminated the grounds with 70 light bulbs—the most significant of his many inventions.
Edison’s public light show, December 31, 1879
The publicity and investment from that event helped accelerate the electrification of everyday life—a key driver of the Second Industrial Revolution. Some credit Edison’s demonstration for inspiring his associate Edward Johnson to create the first string of electric Christmas lights a few years later.
Clarity Always Wins
Edison’s choice to demonstrate the power of his science in practical terms was one of the reasons his ideas got adopted. Instead of telling his audience how electricity worked, he showed them how it would change their lives. He not only made it clear, he made it exciting. He told a story.
Edison led with clarity. He spoke to investors, governments, and the general public in ways they understood. He knew his audience, and that’s why his ideas took hold. He knew how to make lightbulbs go off in their minds.
Know Your Audience
After giving my keynote, one of the scientists in the audience said to me, “I still prefer Tesla. You know that Edison stole some of his ideas.” Yes, Edison’s ethics were questionable. But his communication style worked—and that’s the lesson.
The first rule of communication is “know your audience.” As a scientist, or any type of subject matter expert, it’s not enough to know your stuff. You also have to be willing to find a way to communicate so that it lands with the audience you’re trying to influence.
THE BIG PRINT
Know your audience.
How to “Know Your Audience”
Before designing any communication (talk, keynote, pitch, etc.), take the time to get to know your audience. A simple metaphor is language: you wouldn’t speak French to an audience who only understands German. So how can you know your audience? Here are some questions to help you get clear.
- What does your audience understand, believe, know about your topic right now?
- What do they not know about your topic that could be insightful to them?
- What’s their attitude to you/your ideas coming into this communication?
- What objections do you perceive they will have to your content/ideas?
- Why should they care?
Remember, your audience is not you. Take the time to craft your communication so it lands in a way they can grasp it. If you want help translating your big ideas into stories your audience can feel and remember, let’s talk.
TAKE IT FROM… Jim Al-Khalili, Iraqi-British physicist, author, and BBC broadcaster. A professor at the University of Surrey, Jim is known for making quantum physics feel clear and human.
Watch the clip from his TED Talk “How quantum biology might explain life’s biggest questions” — a masterclass in using simple metaphors and calm curiosity to make complex science come alive.
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