Want something to change? Be specific about what it is you don’t like. General statements don’t breed action.

Earlier today, I read a Facebook wall post about “hating corporations”. As I watched the comments unfold, it became clear that the people arguing the point had specific items they didn’t like, whether it’s employee treatment, lobbying, bad customer service, etc. I don’t intend to take a side in this argument, but instead want to point out an observation: your argument is much more powerful when you’re specific.

See, when you say “I hate corporate America”, no one knows what you mean. That phrase – corporate America – is made of so many different components, that it’s ineffective (from a communicative standpoint) to simply call the entire thing vile. When you begin to tease out specific component – “I hate how large companies tend to be less personal to their employees”, “I hate the fact that large companies lobby to gain market share” – you’re now dialed in close enough to enact some kind of meaningful action. Generalities, while emotionally seductive, don’t make good action plans.

The same is true in a business context. Take design: saying “I hate 3 column layouts” or “I can’t stand Android applications” isn’t productive. These statements only entrench a generalist mindset that doesn’t lead to progress – it’s the technology equivalent of prejudice. Saying “3 column layouts are too cluttered for me – I don’t like that the viewer has to navigate three horizontal panes of content simultaneously” is much more productive.  Now you know the problem to solve: manage clutter. (I’m not arguing against 3 column layouts, and in fact, that entire statement I made may be totally false. It’s only an example, so don’t clutter the comments with flames about layouts.)

Here’s the point: if there’s something you don’t like, be specific! Blanket generalized statements – whether in business, design, politics, or anything else – aren’t productive. Yes, they market well, and they fit nicely on bumper stickers, but do better than bumper sticker arguments…argue something worth talking about.