Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less

Chapter 3

Why You Struggle with Brevity: The Seven Capital Sins

Long story, short. Brevity is difficult to master because there are many subtle, unconscious “seven capital sins” that can interfere.

Why Is It So Difficult?

Why can't we simply add “being succinct” to our tool belt, alongside punctuality and neat handwriting? There is no single reason why people find it hard to be brief. Love of talking seems to be the logical front-runner, but in reality, it is among a short list of seven key contributors that can be deadly if left unchecked.

Which ones do you struggle with? Be honest—chances are that more than one applies to you.

1. Cowardice: “I am afraid that it's hard to say. There are a lot of perspectives on that topic.” Please take a stand and tell us what you really think.

2. Confidence: “I know the material so well I could talk about it for days.” Save us the time, and don't.

3. Callousness: “This will only take a minute…” Really? Do you not see how busy I am? When you don't respect people's time, it always turns into an hour.

4. Comfort: “Once I start talking, it feels so soothing and I just get on a roll.” Can you have the discipline to hit the Stop button?

5. Confusion: “Bear with me; I am just thinking out loud.” Well, your mind is a mess—why do you have to share it with us?

6. Complication: “That is a really intricate issue. You cannot explain it easily.” But your job is to simplify it for us.

7. Carelessness: “Did I say that out loud?” Um, yes you did, so use a filter ...