Ideas, effort and skills only take you so far if other people don’t understand what you mean or what you need. Clear communication helps you get support for your ideas, avoid misunderstandings and build trust.
Lead with the point
Many people bury their main message under background. Try the point first approach:
- Point: say the main thing in one sentence.
- Reason: give the one or two most important reasons.
- Example: add a specific example or detail.
- Next step: say what you’re asking for or what happens next.
“I’d like to move the launch to May (point). Testing found two issues we need to fix (reason). The payment page failed on mobile in 3 out of 10 tests (example). Can we agree on the new date by Friday (next step)?”
Listen to understand
Half of communication is listening. Active listening means:
- Giving your full attention, without planning your reply.
- Asking open questions: “What’s most important to you here?”
- Summarising what you heard: “So the main concern is the timeline, is that right?”
People are more open to your ideas when they feel understood.
Ask clearly for what you want
Many opportunities are missed simply because people don’t ask. A clear request names what you want, why it matters and by when. Be specific, be polite and be ready to hear no.
Adjust to your audience
Before an important conversation or message, ask: Who is this for? What do they already know? What do they care about? What do I want them to do? A busy manager may want the headline; a colleague doing the work may want the detail.
Try this: rewrite one message
Take an email or message you need to send (or one you sent recently). Rewrite it using point, reason, example, next step. Then, in your next conversation, practise summarising what the other person said before you respond.
Workbook: complete Worksheet 7, “Clear Communication Practice”, in your Success Principles workbook.