‘The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do’.
Thomas Jefferson
We tend to say and write too much. It often happens when we haven’t thought through in advance what we want to say, and so out it pours. And pours. And/or when we have a lot to say on a subject, and want to provide full details. This is particularly the case with writing; over-long emails and policy and guidance documents are common in schools and other organisations, and we generally accept this as inevitable and okay – it isn’t okay.
It isn’t okay because there are often significant costs with saying a lot. With communication, clarity is paramount, and clarity is the first casualty of a lot of blah-blah-blah.
Compare this speaking example:
‘The two points I just want to make to you all briefly, and they’re both important points that you may well already know – but they’re worth saying again are: number 1, let’s all try to be in time to these meetings – I know it’s hard at times but that’s true for everyone and we just have to do it because us starting ten minutes late week after week just isn’t fair on anyone, is it? And two, I’ve noticed a tendency – and I think it’s a recent one – to raise a lot of things under AOB; I understand why, but if you could avoid raising long items of business under AOB that would be much appreciated because when we do that the meetings just tend to go on and on – and I know it’s no one person’s fault, but if we can all just add things to the formal agenda it’ll work better for us going forward. Obvious points I know, but just so we are on the same page. Okay?’
With this one:
‘Please arrive for meetings before 11 so we can start at 11. We have been starting later and later. This impacts meeting time. Please only use AOB for brief items of information. Please submit in advance agenda items that may need discussion so we can keep meetings to time. Agreed?’
Both make the same two key points but the second is half as long, and clearer.
It takes a long time to say very little. This is especially true when we write, but brevity aids clarity; and clarity aids understanding. So time taken to cut things down is time well spent. The rule of thumb should always be: how briefly can I say/write this and still get my point across?
Take-aways
1. Aim to use as few words as possible; brevity aids clarity
2. Planning in advance how to say something can help reduce the blah-blah, but ONLY IF our mindset is to keep it brief
3. Always ask the question – especially when writing – how briefly can I say this?
