As I thought about writing this post, I wanted to keep it brief and useful. That brought to mind a VP I worked with years ago. He was sharp, organized and always on top of his game. Well respected, too. His top managers were a lot like him. They were known for being team players, go getters and always said what they thought in a constructive way. It made me think that we all can work on making our points more succinctly. And in a positive way.
Everyone’s attention span is short. Whether you’re writing email, speaking at a meeting or making a presentation, keep that in mind.
Every time I write, I go back and remove at least 10% of the words. And then I do it again. That’s an old tip from Zinsser’s “On Writing Well.” I’m amazed at how wordy I can be. I’ve already cut much more than 10% of what I’ve written here!
It’s easy to rattle on. But I’m committed to keeping this post brief. The VP I mentioned was known for wanting his team to make their points quickly and succinctly. They said to be successful with him, you had to “be brief, be bright, be gone!” He didn’t say those words, they adapted that style because he valued it. I’ve never forgotten it.
If you want those you communicate with to be brief, bright and complete with their messages to you, set the example. When emailing, include the action you want taken in the first lines of your message. Make sure your tone is friendly, not dictatorial. You may even want to indicate ACTION: in your first line or two. You’ll be surprised at how others adapt your style. If you write long, wordy messages, you’ll often get that style in return. If you write clear, concise, appreciative messages, you’ll get them in return as well. You train others how you want to be treated. Try it.
OK, I’m gone. Let me know how it goes!
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