Last week I read a LinkedIn post with a line . . .
“the impact of banks today”
. . . referring to banks’ “climate destruction.”
So what are we talking about when we say the word “impact”?
Words matter
Word choice has a real imp– … effect on the world we build.
We don’t have to be against “impact”, but it’s important to realize that word changes can be catalysts for massive change.
Our realities are made out of our thoughts and feelings. This is how your life experience unfolds. Just ask a cognitive scientist, or think about it for a moment.
Words carry these thoughts and feelings, triggering specific experiences when we hear them. Said better:
Fluffy — In his book Pre-Suasion, Robert Cialdini shows how professional persuaders use words or images to put us down “chutes” toward favorable states of mind, say, subtly showing pictures of fluffy clouds before selling you a comfy sofa. “Paris” sends you down one chute of thoughts and feelings. “Chicago” sends you down another.¹
With no other context, what chute does “impact” send you down?
Ancient — If you hold a cup, you experience your mind’s interpretation of the cup. If I tell you “This cup was made in [ancient] China,” my inclusion or omission of “ancient” drastically alters your experience.
Death — Political strategist Frank Luntz has famously tweaked words to sharpen the blade, so to speak, of special interest campaigns. He framed inheritance taxes as “death taxes” to build opposition. He named the Affordable Care Act a “government takeover of healthcare.” And on and on.²
Words matter.
What does it mean to say, “I want my investment to create impact”?
What about, “I want my investment to create progress … benefit … connectedness”?
Which carries more meaning?
'Impact' wins on zing
Terms like “impact investing” have incredible zing—almost as much as “ZZ Top” or “Lululemon.” Impact has marketing appeal. It’s two syllables and far more efficient than something like “environmental and social benefits.”
It’s easily recognized.
So maybe we don’t abandon “impact” altogether but expand our vocabulary to paint a truer picture of our vision.
Maybe we keep an eye out for other words with the same zing and efficiency.
... but literal impacts are mostly destructive
In its literal sense, impact almost never associates with growth, nurturing, caring, coming together, and building.
It’s almost always about destruction—bombs, bullets, punches, asteroids, crashing cars, sports injuries, and wrecking balls.
So again, what chute does “impact” send you down?
... and figurative impacts are often negative
When I say, “This change will impact people’s job security,” what’s your gut reaction?
The reason 'impact' got us in the door may be the reason we should move away from it
John Mayer once compared his pop hits to a rocket ship’s fuel thrusters. They launched his career before falling away to reveal his true artistry.³
Perhaps because of impact’s marketing zing, it’s allowed us into the current paradigm dominated by capitalism. Yet for that very reason—that it caters to the current world paradigm—it may keep us stuck going forward.
Impact is the key 🔑 that got “people and planet over profit” through the board room door (along with other terms, the general zeitgeist, and many incredible people). Now that we’re at the table, we need other objects—a web, a circle (maybe a doughnut)—to illustrate our vision of a better world.
In the future, “impact” may fall away like John Mayer’s fuel thrusters, revealing the true essence of our work.
We need nothing short of a global paradigm shift to realize our vision, and there are words that capture it better.
There's a fork in the road
One path is called “impact business” and the other is called “connectedness business” (a working title).
To say “I work in impact” doesn’t inherently say anything.
To say “I work in connectedness” might take longer to catch on, but when it does, it inherently communicates our movement’s vision of the world. If I engage in the cutthroat tactics of the current paradigm and damage the greater good for the sake of my own success, it erodes this vision.
Love and connectedness reign in the new paradigm.
If we communicate our vision in a truer light, we may open the door to it.
The main point
Business is the best system we’ve ever had for driving innovation, prosperity, and quality of life. It will continue to do so. Please.
But right now capitalism rules the world, often at the expense of more important things.
“Impact” businesses, CSR departments, nonprofits, etc., are doing incredible work within the conversation of a paradigm that’s destructive in many ways. They lead many important changes, yet less often push for the core values we need to grow in the world—love and connectedness.
Maybe that’s because “love and connectedness” sounds corny and “impact” sounds businessy.
The core thing we need is a critical mass of people in a mindset of love and connectedness. This is the only thing that will bring us, long-term, into a better future.
So we need to ask, “What’s the best language and communication to push us into the future we want?” and then somehow incorporate that into the working world.
David Attenborough said, “Saving our planet is now a communications challenge. We know what to do, we just need the will.”⁴
That’s why it matters what words we use.
So, what do we say?
We don’t need to immediately rename “Impact Investing” or other terms that have shaped the movement of work for a better world.
There’s already fantastic communication coming from advocates for positive change. This is just one suggestion for how we might shift our words to bring us closer to a world where love and connectedness lead the way.
What words are those?
Instead of using “impact” and “sustainability” as catch-alls, we can use words that more vividly illustrate the vision. When possible, try words like progress, transformation, contribution, connection, benefits, and prosperity—terms that invite lasting, meaningful change.
Obviously, I like “love and connectedness” as principles. I’d also add a search for knowledge, truth, and wisdom as part of the reigning principles of a new paradigm. (I’ll risk sounding corny, given what we have to gain.) A search for knowledge fits well with business innovation.
Our words shape perception. Perception shapes reality. If we want a world where organizational work truly puts people and planet over, let’s do our best to use language that reflects this vision.
Sources
[1] Cialdini, R. B. (2017). Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Penguin Books. https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/431235/pre-suasion-by-robert-cialdini/9781847941435
[2] Solomon, D. (2009, May 21). Questions for Frank Luntz: The Wordsmith. The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24wwln-q4-t.html
[3] Mayer, J. (2023, July 19). John Mayer on Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin [Podcast episode]. Tetragrammaton. https://www.tetragrammaton.com/content/john-mayer-podcast
[4] BBC News. (2020, September 24). Sir David Attenborough joins Instagram to warn ‘the world is in trouble’ . BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54281171
