When was the last time you cleaned out your closet? I feel like I do it everyday. This applies to communication too: this supports my message, this does not. But being an editor can be hard because it forces you to get clear. And from my view over here, there’s far too little editing going on in communication these days.
The more you say, the less they remember
I was facilitating a training for the European Centre for Disease Control last week in Lisbon, and a question came from a woman in the audience. She asked, “I’m not sure why, but I never get asked questions after my presentations. Is that a problem?”
She wasn’t getting questions because she was overwhelming her audience with information. The more you say, the less they remember. Why would you ask a question if you actually want the speaker to stop talking?
Good communication means saying more with less
As public speakers, we have to understand that we’re never going to be able to say everything. Our job is not to be a large language model, but instead to be the director of a narrative. Where will we focus the audience’s attention? What will we cut away? When will we stop talking?
I was delivering a high-stakes communication training at a company in London the other day. One of the topics was how to kick off a meeting. Part of the framework was sharing the goal or objective of the meeting. I got questions. “How many goals can we have?” I answered, “Just one.” There was pushback. “But we have so many priorities to cover…” Maybe that’s why nothing is getting done? Silence.
The word priority originally meant one thing: the most important. Having two priorities is actually an oxymoron. The more you can focus your communication—and therefore focus the attention of those in your audience—the more effective you will be.
Connection over information
We have access to more information than ever, and I think as a result, we have forgotten that—first and foremost—we’re human beings that need to connect. Somehow we’ve come to think it’s “unprofessional” to connect before sharing information.
For example, I was helping a client the other day with a presentation. When I asked her how she was going to connect with her audience before diving into the content, she said, “I don’t really have the time to do that.” Really? I argue that you’re wasting time if you don’t connect first.
Connection is key to business success
Connecting first builds trust. Relationships are built on trust. And business is built on relationships. So therefore connection is key to being successful in business.
I’m not advocating for some dry question like “How was your weekend?”, which can often feel like a throwaway line. I mean real connection. Ask them something about what you’re seeing in the moment on the screen. “I see from your window it’s sunny. Where are you in the world?” It can be as simple as that. Just get curious about the other person. Don’t overthink it.
Remember, it’s not about you. It’s about making the person on the other side of your screen or microphone feel seen, heard, and understood. The best way to do that is to connect first, be disciplined with how much you share, and leave them wanting more.
I go into detail about how to connect with your audience in my course, Presentation Mastery. Learn more and get access here.
THE BIG PRINT:
Say less. Connect more.
Here’s an image from my talk for the European Centre for Disease Control on how to give effective scientific presentations. See “Connection” at the top of my slide here? Connection is the first ingredient in successful communication. The other two are clarity and confidence.
How to Connect with Simplicity
Your goal as a communicator is to connect, not impress. The quickest way to do that? Use plain, simple language.
1 / Keep it simple
The average TED Talk is delivered at a 6th grade level. Short sentences. Easy words. Big impact.
2 / Swap complex words for simple ones
- Facilitate → Help
- Capability → Ability
- Encounter → Meet
- Maintain → Keep
- Notify → Tell
- Observe → See
- Request → Ask for
3 / Be disciplined
Before you hit send or step on stage, ask: Would a 6th grader understand this? If not, rewrite. A great hack here is to talk it out before you write it down because written language is more formal than spoken language.
Simplicity is your fastest route to clarity—and connection.
Image created by ChatGPT
TAKE IT FROM… Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809.
Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” It sounds simple, but often we forget that brevity is the soul of wit (Shakespeare).
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