The Power of Inviting Conciseness

Do you ever find yourself in discussions with team members who struggle to get to the point? It's easy to feel overwhelmed with an avalanche of words and get lost.

It's easy to feel defeated in such moment and to think that there's nothing much we can do, instead of interrupting more or less rudely.

I am here to share that there IS a technique that gives us some influence: inviting conciseness.

Open-ended questions like "What do you think?" or "What are the reasons?" invite longer explanations without a 'frame'.

Instead, we can indirectly set expectations towards an appropriate answer structure or length:

⚈ "What is your number 1 recommendation right now?"

⚈ "What is the top reason you see for this?"

⚈ "How would you summarize this in just a few words?"

⚈ "What's are top 2-3ideas that come to mind for you now?"

By inviting conciseness, you encourage the other person to distill their thoughts into clear, actionable insights. This not only saves time but also helps you grasp the essence of their perspective more readily.

What do you do if the other person still responds at length? In this case, I like to play it back, often with some humor: "hmmm...not sure whether heard what that top reason is..?" If you do this a few times, the other person might get the message:)

So next time you're in a discussion with a person who develops their ideas through long talks, invite conciseness. You'll be amazed at how this simple technique can improve your conversations and enhance clarity in communication!

Wish you a successful week ahead with lots of concise conversations!