Higher Calling

What distinguishes great communicators from every other communicator? What do they do or have that their peers or colleagues do not do or have? While I believe this to be a legitimate question, it is not necessarily an easy one to answer. After all, just as we all have our own sense of what is "pretty," for example, what makes the actions of one professional "great" is equally subjective. For starters, greatness is not necessarily found in the results of one's actions even though results can be "great." Results are only part of the mix. In addition to that, there is another element that drives efforts geared to generate positive results.


Great communicators are driven by a higher purpose. Their deepest commitment is to communication itself. Their "bottom line" goal is helping ensure that the act of communicating is successful. While generating more customers for a client is no doubt important, overriding that is the grand goal of bring multiple publics together and then helping ensure their connection remains viable even when they no longer see eye-to-eye. Disagreement between individuals and publics is inevitable. Maintaining a sense of harmony is not. This is where great communicators come in. They recognize it is the relationship itself that is the ultimate key, not necessarily any given issue or "flavor of the month."


As a species, how successful we are in dealing with the various issues that have the potential to divide and even destroy us, including pollution, climate change, water shortages, and war, will be determined by the lasting strength of our connection and how well each of us works toward the greater good of society. Great communicators recognize this and devote their expertise toward this end even while helping clients achieve objectives that are not quite so lofty. This is what I refer to as a higher calling. Is this vision of great communicators far-fetched? A pipe dream? Unrealistic? Maybe. But hopefully more and more great communicators will emerge. They are needed,