Take Less Time, Not More, to Get Your Message Across

If you're given 8 minutes, take 8 minutes minus 7 seconds, not 9 minutes. The extra minute is selfish. The extra minute doesn't actually make that much of a difference in how much you are able to communicate. -- Seth Godin

Seth Godin offers a multitude of wisdom on his blog, and this is a prime example of his approach to communication. Another thing Godin notes is that, this is the non-verbal communication we remember. In taking a second to think about this, I have processed it, and realized a few more things about communication.

So much of what we stress in the business place is efficiency. With this focus, we sometimes undermine the importance of effectiveness. Great, you said what you need to say quickly, but was it really effective? Are the people you spoke to clear on what you meant? Much of the effectiveness of a message lies in the nonverbal communication skills of the deliverer. Eye contact and body positioning take on a role equally as important as the content of the message being passed. If your body language undermines your message, should you have spoken at all?

Although efficiency is great, effectiveness is what we are ultimately after. By communicating effectively, we allow our organizations and business to operate in the most productive manner possible.