Dear Anna,
I’m working on a grant submission and I need to describe the project, but it’s hard to explain. Where do I start?
– Not So Simple
Dear Not So Simple,
Congrats on working on a grant application! One of the benefits of working on a grant application is that it forces you to describe what you do and what is different, special, or innovative about your team. Whether or not you ‘win’ the grant, the grant writing process will help you to create descriptions of your work that you will then be able to use for future reports or other instances in which you need or want to explain what you do.
Start in the same place that you would as if you were thinking about how to communicate what is special about you or your work. Sometimes that can feel difficult or intimidating. So, let’s do it with an upside-down method – as in, let’s try some unexpected strategies to help you get there:
1. Recall bad experiences to signal what you are actually really good at. Have people around you ever teased you about something that they don’t understand or appreciate about you? Did they say you were too loud? Too talkative? Too quiet? Turn those observations into windows onto your natural talents. While reliving moments of being misunderstood or unappreciated is less than fun (or worse), you can actually leverage those bad experiences into helping you identify your special talents – your differentiators – your gifts. Identifying your gift is a skill that I describe in more detail in a prior post about Naming when you use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.): https://askannabanana.substack.com/p/naming-when-you-use-artificial-intelligence
2. Instead of trying to fit in, highlight your differentiators. Differentiators help people to understand and ultimately remember what makes you or your organization unique. Being different makes you memorable, and it will help people to describe what is special about your work even when you are not present to explain it. Describing what is different about you / about what you do has the potential to “survive transmission” across multiple environments. I first learned about the concept of designing a message that survives transmission from speaker / executive coach Bill Carmody.
3. Notice what feels way too easy. The thing that comes so easily to you that it doesn’t feel like work is a sign of something that you are good at. Ask your colleagues and clients what they notice or appreciate about you or your organization. When they name something that surprises you and that to you feels like no big deal, take note; it’s an indicator of one of your special talents.
To be sure, sometimes all we want to do is to fit in, not stand out, not be different. We may face incredible pressure to be a certain way, to do things a certain way, to not reveal our true selves. Context matters.
My hope for you is that you feel freedom in being able to explain your work in a way that is uniquely meaningful to you. While doing things your way and at your own pace may feel counterintuitive, I believe that what we all have in common is that each of us is different. Showcase what makes you and your work special. It will help others to understand you better, and it gives them permission to be themselves as well.
—
Disclaimer: These tips are meant to be a helpful starting point of ideas. Proceed at your own risk. Each person and organization is different, and this information may or may not help you. Try what resonates with you, keeping in mind common sense and circumstances. Seek professional advice that is tailored to your specific situation.
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