When was the last time you felt disappointed by a talk you heard? I left a recent meetup in Lisbon feeling disappointed—and a little alarmed. It was a corporate learning and development event with lightning talks. But the talks (aside from two) disappointed me.
Over and over again (8 out of 10 speakers) got on the “stage” and rambled for five minutes. “What is this talk about?” I found myself asking my friend. We both felt nervous as we listened—like we were watching the slow sinking of the Titanic. The more they spoke, the less I remembered. It was a shame. The speakers had our time and attention—two of our most precious resources, but they wasted them.
I was frustrated because I was hoping to learn something that night. But more importantly, I wondered about the state of education in the workplace. If the educators themselves can’t communicate effectively, what hope do we have for their students?
After the talks ended, I went to speak to the one woman who had made a clear point. She had given a simple, yet powerful talk about why connection is the key to education. She brought in personal stories about her volunteer work as a clown and how that relates to her professional life as a trainer of trainers in international development projects. Her talk was simple and relatable. It was so clear I couldn’t stop listening. It was a beautiful example of the power of public speaking. I thanked her for sharing, and then asked her if she had felt the same way I did about the other talks. She had, and we both remarked at how often this happens.
But it wasn’t just a disappointing night—it was a window into a much bigger issue.
Why do so many people struggle to simplify their communication? Why do so many neglect to make a clear point? Why does effective communication often feel like a nice-to-have instead of a need-to-have?
Studies continue to show that communication is the #1 leadership skill tied to promotions and career growth. They call them “soft skills”, but I prefer to call them leadership skills. In order to be an effective leader, you have to be able to engage an audience, deliver a clear message, and inspire them to action.
Your ability to communicate well is in direct correlation to whether people perceive you as a leader. I promise you, if you learn how to communicate well, you will watch your prospects for raises, promotions, and more high-profile projects go up.
When I left the event that day I felt frustrated, but also strangely inspired. I saw that I had a lot of work to do. And that’s why I’m writing this right now: because I care that you care about this stuff. I care that the next time you hold a microphone you make a clear point and move your audience to action. Why do I care? Because, despite what it may feel like on the news, today every voice matters—especially yours.
THE BIG PRINT: i.e. If you take one thing away from this post it’s that…
Being succinct matters because the more you say, the less they remember.
How to Make a Clear Point
1 – Make it a complete sentence
- The easiest way to turn a vague monologue into a clear point is to make sure it’s a complete sentence. For example, “The state of marketing in 2025” is a vague phrase, not a complete sentence. What about the state of marketing? What are you trying to say? Go one level deeper and force yourself to finish the sentence. For example, “The state of marketing in 2025 is being defined by AI.” Then you have clear guardrails for what you’ll share in your talk.
2 – Keep it succinct
- A clear point can be made in a sentence or less. It’s something you want your audience to be able to remember and repeat back to you. Like Simon Sinek’s famous Golden Circle TED talk I shared last week, “People don’t care what you do, they care why you do it.” That’s succinct. That’s memorable. That’s repeatable.
3 – Make it interesting
- “The sky is blue” is also a succinct and complete sentence, but it’s not interesting. It doesn’t provoke thought. Why would you go to all the trouble to get on a stage and speak in front of people if you were going to repeat something they already know or believe? That would be a waste of everyone’s time. Instead, say something unique. Have confidence in saying something new.
TAKE IT FROM… Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the UK during WWII and renowned public speaker.
“If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time—a tremendous whack.”
— Winston Churchill
Taking a look at the world today, it’s clear we have a lot of work to do. So the next time you take the mic, commit to giving up the flowery language, the long, rambling sentences. Instead, get clear and get on with moving people to action.
What’s a cause you feel inspired to champion? How do you see yourself using your voice to make a difference? If you feel the calling but lack the skills, I can help.
Book a discovery call to see if we’re a good fit.
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