Behavioral Grooves Podcast

The Power of Brevity | Todd Rogers

Nov 13, 2023

Todd Rogers, co-author of 'Writing for Busy Readers', shares practical steps and techniques for effective communication in the 21st century. Focus on concise writing, reading navigation, and the impact of shorter sentences. Conduct a live experiment on overconfidence and explore the importance of brevity in communication. Choose musical artists for a desert island and discuss the challenges of effective communication in a fast-paced world.

01:01:57

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Episode guests

Todd Rogers

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Quick takeaways

Writing for busy readers requires concise and easily digestible content to accommodate limited attention spans and time constraints.

Simplifying language and removing unnecessary words increases reader engagement and accessibility.

Adding headings, bullet points, and summaries improves navigation and increases reader engagement.

Deep dives

Writing effectively for busy readers

Writing for busy readers is about understanding the way people skim and scan information in today's busy world. It is the responsibility of the writer to make their content easily digestible and accessible, keeping in mind the limited attention spans and time constraints of the readers. By focusing on key points, using shorter sentences, and adding headings for navigation, writers can effectively communicate their message and save readers time. This approach is not only kinder to the readers but also more effective in achieving the writer's goals.

The Three Types of Reading: Close Reading, Skimming, and Scanning

01:11

Activity: rewriting a recent communication

00:59

Study on Perspective Taking and Overconfidence in Musical Recognition: Tapers & Listeners

00:56

The Importance of Clear and Visual Communication for Effective Business Writing

01:54

Introduction

2min

The Importance of Brevity in Writing for Busy Readers

5min

Skimming, Scanning, and Close Reading

21min

Tappers versus Listeners Experiment

5min

Importance of Brevity in Communication

15min

Choosing Musical Artists for a Desert Island

3min

The Challenge of Effective Communication

9min

The Impact of Todd's Book on Communication

3min

Does everybody skim? Todd Rogers, co-author of “Writing for Busy Readers” joins Kurt and Tim to discuss just that. In this insightful episode, Todd shares principles and rules that will transform your written communication skills. Join the conversation as Todd challenges the traditional notions of taste and style in writing, emphasizing the power of concise and evidence-backed strategies for effective communication in the 21st century.

Discover the art of "less is more" as Todd shares practical steps and easy-to-follow techniques to overcome common challenges in conveying crucial information. Gain profound insights into the writer's responsibility to readers and navigate the dynamic landscape of social media communication. Todd's expertise provides a roadmap for achieving your communication goals with impact and precision.

During their grooving session Kurt and Tim exploring the importance of mapping information out before you write and offer helpful tips and tricks they’ve used to achieve success in their written communication over the years. Whether you're drafting corporate emails or engaging in casual conversations, this episode is a must-listen, providing practical guidance to elevate your communication skills and thrive in a world where brevity is key. Tune in and revolutionize the way you convey information in today's fast-paced environment!

Topics

(4:34) Welcome and Speed Round

(6:53) Does everybody skim?

(9:14) Writing for busy readers

(14:36) Writing effectively

(19:26) The new rules of writing

(29:20) Focusing on the reader’s perspective

(40:03) Writing for social media and user engagement

(46:47) Desert Island Music

(48:40) Grooving session: Tips for improving communication

Links

Writing for Busy Readers: https://writingforbusyreaders.com/