“Brevity is the essence of wisdom.” -Mark Twain
As a leader, do you sometimes get the feeling that people are not listening? Are they checking emails during your meetings? When you have one-on-ones, do you get the sense that they are mentally somewhere else?
The most impactful people, the true leaders, have mastered the skill of listening. They understand that people want to be heard and understood, so they listen and process, first. When they speak, people listen.
There are 66 words in the Lord’s Prayer. Most people know it by heart. There are 79 words in the Ten Commandments. Many can recite them. There are 272 words in the Gettysburg Address. People still talk about it. There are 26,911 words in the EU regulations on the sale of cabbage. And nobody cares.
Next time you give a presentation, consider using Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule: Use only 10 slides, take 20 minutes maximum, and use at least 30-point fonts.
Less is more.
