Meet John Meehan

We recently connected with John Meehan and have shared our conversation below.

Hi John, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?

Communication is an essential part of human existence. It is how we communicate the fundamental human need, “I want.” Everyone wants something… basic needs like food, clothes, shelter; friendships; a job they’ve dreamt about since high school; and even more fundamentally, to be understood, validated, and acknowledged.

Ironically, in nearly every corporate survey, employee feedback, therapy session, troubled relationship, or misunderstanding, communication is always pointed out to be what is missing, lacking, or could be better. Until effective communication skills are a requirement in school curriculums, it is up to us to be intentional, open, and honest.

Communication is a wonderful skill and done well can lead to powerful relationships and results. However, just like the best games out there, communication is easy to pick up, yet hard to master.

I used to think communication was about how you speak… present the information, tell a story, clear words, know all the information, etc. That’s great for TED talks and PowerPoint presentations during company meetings. After many years of observation, listening to podcasts, reading articles, and trial and error (and many mistakes) along the way, true effective communication is more about empathy for your communication companion, acknowledgement other people’s thoughts, and focus on understanding the problem. The most effective solutions are found only when everyone involved is open, feeling understood and recognized.

Communication is like dancing… 2 people on a dance floor may get their energy out, but they can also smack and kick each other along the way. Treat communication like a waltz or tango, working together in harmony. By paying attention to cues and maintaining a rhythm together, conversations flow more smoothly and meaningfully.

Good communication starts with the environment. Eliminate distractions to intentionally focus on what is shared. Make the conversation your priority. Create a safe environment and aim to empathize with each person’s perspective. If it’s a work conversation, go out for coffee. If it’s with a friend or partner, go for a walk instead of staying home. And consider your body position! Some of the best conversations are had when standing side-by-side instead of facing each other (which can feel confrontational).

Psychologist Albert Mehrabian studied body language and made a startling discovery… communication is only 7% words! The rest: 38% vocal, 55% nonverbal. Facial expressions, body language, and vocal tone are all major parts of the story a person is sharing, and can communicate an entirely different outcome. We’ve all asked someone how they are, only to hear the biggest lie using 2 words: “I’m fine.” Next time you hear it, observe body posture (are they slouched?), face expression (do they have a Duchenne smile or a Botox smile?), and tone of voice. Chances are there may be something deeper going on, and if comfortable, the person may feel better getting something off their chest.

Feedback is also a crucial part of improving communication. Sometimes we need to know what we are doing that can impact communication. Other times, we can be our harshest critic. Just like listening to others to understand them, we can listen to others and understand ourselves in the process.

Be ok with being wrong. Be willing to confront, and even better challenge, your biases and emotions. Recognizing that others’ opinions were valid to them, even if they differed from my own, helped me avoid judgment and stay curious. I’ve come to embrace Walt Whitman’s advice (made popular again by Ted Lasso): “Be curious, not judgmental.” It leads to a collaborative and open exchange of ideas, especially if both people in a conversation can see that opinions can change.

Every conversation is a form of shared storytelling. To truly engage, I needed to listen… not passively, but actively. Counterintuitively, listening should mean a balance between listening and speaking. Listen to what is shared, and engage with questions to clarify, understand more deeply, and reach a state of more “yes” than “no” responses. Work to relate and understand their thoughts. With each “yes” and understanding, guards fall, minds open and walls turn into bridges.

With practice, a great technique to confirm understanding comes from making mental notes about the points being shared, then summarizing key points and sharing them back to ensure the message was understood when received.

Make and take the time. Understanding is more achievable when not rushed and builds foundation for more. Without it, solutions can be less effective, and on shaky understanding, may crumble and need a do over.

Great communication isn’t just about conveying ideas, but about creating a shared understanding. There are many more techniques to practice. I have found these techniques to help build bridges, open doors and lead to many meaningful solutions, relationships and positive encounters, both personally and professionally. When communication is treated as a partnership, we can build deeper understanding, connections, and solutions we can all get behind.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’ve been lucky to be part of the leading edge of video game and films for over 25 years, working with talented people to define genres and sett new standards for excellence. I’ve been part of some of the most iconic and successful storytelling franchises of all time at PlayStation, Electronic Arts, Marvel, Star Wars, and Warner Bros..

Wearing many different hats, from Artist to Production Director to Cinematic Creative Director, allows me to comprehensively understanding the entire creative process. Most entertainment experiences are made with a team, and I’ve had the pleasure of leading creative teams of over 150 artists and directors, fostering collaboration in a dynamic environment across many projects.

At PlayStation, we transformed a sports-focused motion capture team into an award-winning narrative animation team capable of film-quality animation and cinematography. The Uncharted series, The Last of Us series, God of War, and Ratchet and Clank defined new standards in video game narrative and are some of PlayStation’s highest-scoring and best-selling titles of all time.

Before that, we pioneered motion capture and animation techniques on blockbuster films like The Matrix series, “I Am Legend,” “Watchmen,” and “The Polar Express.”

Continuing my journey at Electronic Arts, I take pleasure and pride in unifying teams of creators around a central vision to maximize creativity, quality, and innovation across Sports and Entertainment franchises.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus
“Simple is good.” – Jim Henson
‘If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” – Banksy

Embracing change, keeping things simple, and perseverance are pillars that provide me guidance and confidence to move forward.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

Gratitude.

A while back, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed by aspects in my life, stuck without direction, and feeling things could be better. After hearing about the benefits of practicing gratitude, I began a goal to spend 5 minutes each day to practice gratitude. Not knowing where or how to start, I downloaded an app to help remind me when it was time, and provide random questions to think about what I could be grateful for.

I’ll admit, the first few days felt very awkward. My entire life to this point was driven by a New York work ethic, working hard without stopping to appreciate the success or wins. It was foreign at first to put aside time each day and appreciate what went well.

After 1 week, I realized small things that I took for granted. Fundamentals like hot water, electricity, and food. Waking up in the morning to sunny day.

On week 2, I started expressing more fundamentally how people in my life brought connection and value into my life, with a deep appreciation for how they show up and the relationships we’ve developed.

After a month, and with an ever-growing list of gratitudes, the positives and my appreciations far outweighed any perceived negatives. And those negatives began to change into opportunities. Suddenly I was thankful for so many things and aspects in my life, and hard not to feel thankful in many more places.

It was like the time I bought my first Jeep. The day I drove off the sales lot, it seemed like Jeeps were everywhere around town. Gratitude became my Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, where I developed a cognitive bias to notice things to be grateful for more often in my life.

Perspective is everything, and working towards a positive view has become an asset, a mindset, and a life changer.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnjmeehan/