Stop saying things that don’t add value

In the early parts of my career I was labeled ‘a man of few words’.

What initially came across as something negative turned out to be a great strength. You may have heard that only 7% of communication is what you say. The rest comes from body language and tone of voice. In other words, you don’t need to shout loud to effectively deliver a message. In fact that can hurt you ability to connect with people.

Often, people say more words in attempt to make people understand more, in the hope that if they keep talking they are giving more valuable information. This is not the case. Value does not come from the number of words you say, but from the clarity of message.

That is the value of being ‘a man of few words’. I am selective with my words. If it does not add value I simply don’t say it. Generally speaking I am one of the biggest introverts you could meet and often the quietest person in a room.

Less but better

When you say less, it increases the value of what you say — people listen because they know something important is about to be said. Even better, the message is clear and concise because everything adds value. This removes room for interpretation and ensures you land the specific message you want to deliver.

Less does not mean blunt — this is something I have heard before. Less means focusing on what will actually add value to your audience, or who you are communicating with. Everything should be…