Scott Berkun makes an interesting observation about use of the word secret:
The word secret makes the boring sound fun. Doing laundry is pretty boring, but secret laundry almost sounds interesting. The word secret promises short-cuts, tricks, or things people don’t want us to know, which all connote ways to get one up on others. This little semantic trick works well on newbies, since they know so little, anything can seem like a secret.
Berkun’s point is that there aren’t really many secrets, there is hard work and luck and lots of other components that contribute to success, but rarely is it that there are bona-fide confidential pieces of information that themselves stand in the way of achievement.
But his point about newbies is worth noticing…since they know so little, anything can seem like a secret.
It’s worth keeping in mind the next time you have to convey something boring–will it work to reframe it as a secret?
- Here’s the secret about the expense reimbursement policy
- Let me share a secret about the annual home-owner assessment
- I’m going to tell you a secret about writing thank-you-notes
Use sparingly.