Jacob and Joe sit down with Joe McCormack, author of Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less and founder of the Brief Lab, to discuss the importance of clear and concise communication. Topics include the elusive 600, briefing empathy, effective email communication, and the power of a brief map.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Clear and concise communication is crucial in today's information overload, and communicators need to consider their audience and manage attention.
Leading with the main idea and using the 'bottom line up front' approach captures and retains audience attention.
Deep dives
The Brief Lab: Helping people become clear and concise communicators
Joe McCormick, founder of The Brief Lab, discusses the importance of clear and concise communication in today's cluttered information landscape. The Brief Lab offers courses to both military personnel and corporate professionals, aiming to teach people how to effectively communicate their ideas. McCormick emphasizes the need for communicators to think about their audience and manage their attention. He also highlights the value of being able to get to the point quickly, as people are constantly bombarded with information and have limited attention spans.
The Elusive 600: Managing attention and avoiding distractions
McCormick introduces the concept of the "elusive 600," which refers to the extra words floating in the audience's mind while they listen or read. He explains that while the brain processes around 750 words per minute, people can only speak or read about 100-150 words per minute. This disconnect can lead to distractions and a divided attention. McCormick emphasizes the importance of managing these extra words and ensuring that the audience's focus remains on the key message.
Putting the bottom line up front for better communication
McCormick discusses the need to lead with the most important point or main idea in any form of communication. He explains that many people make the mistake of building up to their conclusion, causing their audience to lose interest and potentially miss the main message. McCormick advocates for the "bottom line up front" approach, where the main idea is presented at the beginning to capture and retain the audience's attention.
The importance of empathy and organization in communication
McCormick emphasizes the need for communicators to have empathy for their audience. He suggests considering the audience's busy schedules and competing tasks when delivering a briefing or sending an email. McCormick also highlights the power of organization, particularly through the use of visual outlines called brief maps, to help communicators present their information clearly and concisely. He encourages listeners to focus on the audience's needs and constantly strive to improve their communication skills.
Jacob and Joe sit down with Joe McCormack author of Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less and founder of the Brief Lab to discuss the importance of communication for leaders. Listeners will learn why saying less is critical to communicating ideas, how to give better presentations, and how to write better emails
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode