Fonts

While no marketing expert, I am going out on a limb to say there is likely a great deal of study surrounding the use of fonts in advertising materials.  Have you ever picked up something to read only to struggle to read the script because of the font selection?  And notice how words are italicized, highlighted, and bolded to draw attention to those areas?  Even font size can make a big difference in how the materials are absorbed by the reader. 

A recent conversation at my office landed in the world of font selection, and interestingly we found that some people have strong opinions about fonts they do or don’t like.  And amazing to me, I learned that some people are quite satisfied always typing in the default font.  No offense to the creators of Calibri but I really dislike this font, so I’m not sure why anyone would choose this default font voluntarily.  But on the other extreme, I loathe fonts that are so squirrelly that it looks like hieroglyphics.  Apparently, I rest in the camp of those with judgmental thoughts about fonts.  And I’m not even apologetic about my stance.

Lots of psychology inventories use common-day associations to help people understand their personality types: colors, animals, the four elements.  What if we did the same with fonts?  Open a Word or Google document and it’s easy to find an almost unending list of font options.  Try writing everyday words like happy, angry, hot, and cold and find fonts that match your perception of the word.  Then, type your name.  Metaphorically consider two font choices: The font that you project to the world and the font that aligns with your internal compass.  Maybe they are the same font, or perhaps two different fonts are selected.  Are there metaphoric fonts you would prefer to be associated with?

We all make daily choices that market ourselves to the world.  The inventory taken about the way we market ourselves could be analogous to the font choice – style, size, bolding, italicizing – and how we are portraying our “self” message to the world.  If it appears that the readers in your world understand you, then likely your font choice and word selection are working for you.  However, in the moments that you feel misunderstood, first consider the words chosen.  If those words are accurate with your internal compass and you are still misunderstood, think about the ways in which you are conveying the message.  Life is full of plenty of font choices that can create nuisance to the words.  If life is a typewriter, then font choice is the power we have been given to construct the meaning within the message.

Changepoints:

Open writing software like Word or Google and type a simple message about yourself.  Pause and consider:

·       What type of messages do you tell yourself about who you are that are untrue?  Where do you have a harsh view of yourself or an overinflated perspective?

·        How do these messages get conveyed to those around you?

·        How can you challenge your false self-concepts so that you begin to align your personality font with your truer identity?

·        Who are the people in your life who you identify as being authentic?

o   How does their authenticity benefit you and those around them?

o   How can you assimilate these traits into your own practice?

Selecting a font on a computer is an act of aligning the tone with intention, and it is a good theory to utilize in our own lives.  

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.