How to communicate better in 2025
The best communication is short and sweet
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“I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” - Mark Twain
The best communication is short and to the point. We know this, but when it’s our turn to share, we tend to over-explain.
I’m as guilty as anyone. Growing up, my Dad would interrupt me to say I was “selling beyond the close.” In other words, I had made my point, so it was time to shut up and listen.
Learning to communicate better has paid huge dividends in my life and career. Here are a few tips that can help you in the New Year as you settle back into work.
Answer first
When delivering information, especially to an executive, start with the answer and work backwards.
We should do X because of reasons 1, 2, and 3.
NOT
Due to reasons 1, 2, and 3, we should do X.
Don’t bury the lead.
This lets the person you’re speaking with hold the answer in their mind while evaluating the strength of the supporting points.
Avoid information overload
Information overload is lazy communication. Your job, at work and in life, is to synthesize what you know, not repeat everything you’ve learned.
By burying the other person in information, you’re putting the work on them to pick out what’s most important.
Two common reasons for this behavior are:
People falsely assume that if they give the other person ALL the information, they’ve abdicated responsibility for the decision. This is not true.
Anxiety or imposter syndrome causes people to overshare to prove that they know what they’re doing. This counterintuitively makes it look like they know less because they can’t identify what’s important.
A better approach is to hint that you’re capable of explaining further, but only do so if it’s needed. For example:
I recommend we pursue XYZ project for reasons 1, 2, and 3. If you’d like me to go through any of these reasons in more depth, I’d be happy to.
This way, the person you’re speaking to can decide where to explore further and steer the conversation.
One point, one slide
Whether it’s a PowerPoint presentation or a memo, keep information discrete. People can only retain so much, and it is challenging to process multiple points simultaneously, even if they are related.
Don’t force your audience to do the work to separate the various points. Do the work for them.
Use the right words
Language connects us. Using the right words establishes your credibility instantly. This is especially important when talking with people outside of your organization.
The words “client” and “customer” may seem interchangeable, but inside many companies they are anything but.
The right lingo can also help you speak more succinctly. For example, at Bain, “being 80/20” meant focusing on the 20% of work that drives 80% of the results. Instead of explaining this concept every time, you could say “The 80/20 approach is…”
Remind, remind, remind
The work you’re communicating may be your most important project, but depending on the other person’s seniority, it may not be top-5 or top-10 for them.
This also goes for working with people outside of your company. You are thinking about your product all day, but to your customer, you’re just one of their many vendors.
The best communicators constantly remind their audience of what they do and why it is important.
One of the best founders I’ve worked with would start every conversation with a reminder of what the company does and their vision. While some might find this patronizing, I found it incredibly self-aware. He runs one company and I work with many — by starting with a recap, he avoided any possibility of confusion.
Again, do the work for your audience.
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Your ideas are only as good as your ability to communicate them. If you have other communication tips, send them my way!
Happy New Year!