If you manage people, did you know that using video as a teaching medium will save you precious working hours? Not to mention create a streamlined process for your employees to follow.
I have produced and directed a lot of teaching and training videos and explainer animations. That doesn’t mean I am an expert in all of the things. In fact, me knowing nothing about ‘the thing’ often works in my client’s favour.
You see, the subject matter experts that I work with, already know all about what they are trying to communicate, so it’s important to have those fresh eyes come in and find the holes in the learning and teaching process. I can not see all those things you are assuming in your subconscious backstory.
So, this this how you should approach working with your production company.
Seth Godin, Marketing Expert, says it’s important to first acknowledge that it might be difficult to learn what you know. So when briefing your video production team keep this in the back of your mind. Then have empathy for people who don’t know what you know. Your production team will listen and ask questions in order to really understand the subject and from there, develop a language and script that will best communicate the ideas.
Ewrin McManus (author and New York Times best seller) also talks about empathy. Erwin says “If we could walk in each other’s shoes, how would that change us? If we could eliminate the dividing walls that separate us, how would that change humanity as a whole?”
You may not be aiming to change the world, but you are hoping to change at least one person’s behavior or knowledge. Or else what is the point.
Leading with empathy means you are meeting people where they are. You have a better chance to reach them.
I love creating content that inspires change. And for that to occur, the filmmaker alongside the client and subject matter experts needs to walk up to the story they are trying to convey with an open heart and empathy for their audience.
Then, you have the best chance to create a great teaching tool that will benefit your company and save you time.