Friday, November 3, 2017

Franz Reichelt

Franz Reichelt was so certain he was right. In early1912, this tailor and part-time inventor had created a parachute that he was convinced could be used by airplane plots in case they needed to jump from their flying machines if trouble occurred. No question about it, this was a very good idea on the part of Reichelt. He was so sure of his invention that early on the morning of February 4, Reichelt climbed atop the Eiffel Tower to demonstrate this sure-thing. A crowd gathered along with several film crews. Wearing both his invention and a great deal of conviction, Reichelt jumped off the Eiffel Tower.

Sadly but not surprisingly, Reichelt was dead within seconds. In fact, his leap can now even be viewed on You Tube. (He has since become known as "The Flying Tailor.") So, besides dieing, what happened? What went wrong? The answer can be summarized in one word: "research." This brave soul did not do enough of it. Blinded by the rightness of his vision, he looked at what he had created and saw what he wanted to see rather than what was actually there. Reichelt saw a viable parachute that would save pilots from sure death. In truth, what was there was an oversized coat that, in retrospect, looked silly.

For any serious undertaking to succeed, then thorough research is a necessary component. Such a truism very much applies to communication. Every day public figures seek to communicate with multiple constituents. Those that fail do so because they rely upon little else but their own gusto. Those with the best chance of succeeding do so as a result of pain-staking research on their topic and intended audience. This also applies to individuals hoping to connect with each other. Having an effective voice rarely happens without practice and homework. Any successful professional communicator will vouch for that.

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