Be Concise

Effective communication matters whether it's in writing or 1-1/public speaking. People don't internalize what you said until there is pause. To get a high ROI on your words, pick the fewest possible words and let the other party replay what you said within the context of their thoughts, memories and creativity. The more time the other party spends on the sensory act of reading or listening, its less time they spend on the intellectual act of understanding the importance of what was said and what they should do next. I call this marinating.

The New York City Approach

Consider the communication style of New Yorkers. Often perceived as rude or abrupt, their directness is born out of necessity – living in a city of over 8 million people, where time is a precious commodity. Many have have the art of getting to the point quickly, without pleasantries. In a place with opportunities abound & time limited, this direct approach is not only effective but is the polite thing to do. Respecting others' time is a form of courtesy.

Some cultures don't appreciate the NYC approach. In these cultures, repetition is used to emphasis the importance of the idea. However, the implicit assumption from the author is this:

When I repeat something, it is more important than other ideas. I will waste your time with this inefficient technique because you probably filtered out big chunks of what I say usually. Trust me even though I cannot concisely explain this concept in a way that you also think its important.

As you can imagine, this communication tactic breeds unproductive conversations and low quality decisions. It also closely aligns with the "Raise Volume for Important Stuff" technique. Both are signs of poor judgement and communication skills.

Principles

The best content:

• Avoids repetition and vague, overused words like "revolutionary". State the data. E.g. "exceeds the production capacity of the 3 incumbents combined"
• Opens with counterintuitive ideas or contradicts expectations to pique curiosity.
• Utilizes clear breaks between sections. Allow the reader to pause and marinate.
• Visualizes aggregated data. Example.
• Incites the right memory or emotion in the fewest possible words, using concrete examples or stories. E.g. "that feeling you get when walking in the same direction after saying bye to someone".
  • Using stories with objects that the audience is already familiar with. Weaving personal narratives or relatable experiences into the content, authors forge a clearer image in the minds of the audience. Stories evoke emotions, create mental images reconstructed from fragments of memory, and make abstract concepts more tangible.