What does “hold your horses” have to do with equity?
I started writing this email nearly two years ago—I just didn’t know it yet. Katie and I were at dinner (Italian, delicious), talking about idioms (in this case, the phrase “two birds, one stone”) and how we all imagine something a little different when we hear certain common phrases.
When the topic came up again at our marketing meeting a couple of weeks ago, we decided to conduct a fun Forthright experiment.
We asked a few members of our team what they imagine when they hear the phrase “hold your horses.” The results were nothing short of hysterical.
So good, in fact, I think I just need to show you. Why yes, we did hire an illustrator to help you get the literal picture!
Jon Jon imagined a rancher holding horses back by sheer force of will.
“They… do not pay me enough for this, fellas.”
Katie described an old-timey carriage driver holding the horses’ reins.
“I do fear we are approaching a red light, good mate, slow it down!”
I myself—for some weird reason—imagine a person cradling a horse, like a baby. (Maybe since we work with kids and families all day?)
“This beats strength training at the gym, any day!”
And we can’t forget the image of horses literally holding one another in a hug.
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“Because everyone deserves love!”
All that amazingness demonstrates that not one person imagined what the phrase actually means: to wait a moment, to slow down a bit.
So what does this have to do with great, equity-focused communications? Well, simply put, clarity is kindness.
When our audience isn’t sure what something means, they make meaning for themselves (hugging horses style), or ignore the message. Not only does this lead to confusion and rumors, it can harm our audiences and become an equity issue. For example, a parent may miss the chance to sign their child up for advanced courses, or a community member may not share their feedback about the mental health resources they need.
That’s why as we communicators message to our audiences—families in the communities we serve—it’s critical to communicate clearly.
This can look like:
Avoiding idioms and complicated metaphors. This is especially important when your audience includes English second language speakers. My mom, who learned English at 25, doesn’t know what “hold your horses” is supposed to mean—after 30 years in America. In many cases, well-known phrases don’t translate!
Eliminating jargon. For example, we’ve all seen phrases such as 90th percentile, inherent conflicts of interest, or shift the paradigm. These phrases may mean something to us when we are close to the work, but they don’t mean much to many of our audiences. Make meaning of these phrases for your audience instead.
Writing at a 5th grade reading level. I cannot stress this enough. Simple is better! Using short words, short sentences and short paragraphs will make all the difference for your audience.
Format your messaging well. Something as easy as adding bullet points (heyyo, taking my own advice!) and strategic bolding to your messaging can help ensure your audience can digest your message in bite-sized pieces!
So the next time you start writing for your community, hold your horses—and think about just how many ways your audience can interpret your message. Then rein in the power of that perspective to write the perfect, audience-centered communication.
P.S. We have a free PDF download about how to ensure your messaging is easy to understand!
P.P.S. A huge shoutout to Caroline Dacey of Smeople Art for illustrating these adorable horses and bringing us so much joy in the process. Seriously, how cute are they??
