Have you ever read a long email and said to yourself, “When is this person ever going to get to the point?” Or just as painful, have you found yourself listening to someone talk for 10 minutes and being completely lost as to where the person is going with the conversation?

People who are indirect in the communication of their messages tend to hint at things, give mixed messages, and avoid getting to the point. It’s as if they expect people to be mind readers. What they don’t realize is that their failure to communicate effectively is undermining their ability to build relationships and advance their lives personally and professionally.

In preparation for this lesson, I asked myself, “Of the thousands of people I have worked with in my career, do I know anyone who has been successful who rambles on in their communications?” And guess what?  I could not think of one person.

While concise communication is important, we need to be careful that we are not so direct that people view us as abrupt or unfriendly. A significant component of becoming successful both personally and professionally is learning how to communicate your message in a personable and friendly manner, while at the same time being clear, concise, and direct in your message.

People who are able to combine the “likability factor” with good communication skills tend to be more respected. This foundation enables them to build more meaningful relationships and bring more value to the market.

I wish I could tell you that achieving this balance is easy, but it’s not.  It requires an intentional effort, and even then it’s difficult. But I can assure you, it will be time well spent.

Being clear and concise in my communication is something I work on EVERY day.  I think about it with EVERY email I type. I think about it with EVERY comment I make on a social media site. I think about it in EVERY blog post I write. I think about it EVERY time I conduct a training and I think about it in EVERY business conversation I have.

I even think about it when I place a pickup order at our favorite local restaurant. Perhaps the only time I don’t think about it is when I have a casual social conversation with my family members or friends.

There is no doubt in my mind that my detailed attention to how I communicate has played an essential element in my personal brand and in my market value.

I want to challenge you to start being aware of ALL of your communications and consider how you can most effectively convey your thoughts in a clear, direct, and friendly manner.

Starting with the next thing you type, ask yourself the following three questions:

• Is it friendly?
• Is it clear?
• Is it concise?

When you next engage in a conversation, ask yourself the same three questions:

• Is it friendly?
• Is it clear?
• Is it concise?

As is the case with all of the Little Things Matter lessons, mastering them requires an intentional effort.  It begins with one attempt, then the next, and one after that, with each experience building on the previous.

Going the extra mile brings the greatest rewards. Why? Because so few people are willing to do what it really takes to consistently be their personal best.

Once you begin to focus on the quality of your communication, you will immediately see improvement. But your ultimate success will come as a result of the compounding effect of the daily attention paid to effective communication.

Successful communication requires a balance of skills. Be clear and concise, but be likable in the process.

Email Communication, In-person Communication, Phone Communication

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