Communication
Clear writing, listening, storytelling, and presentation
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Lead With the Point
Put the conclusion before supporting detail when action matters.
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Questions Shape Thinking
A precise question changes what people notice and disclose.
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Listening Is Compression
Accurate summaries prove understanding and expose disagreement.
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Stories Need Change
A useful story moves from situation through tension to resolution.
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Concrete Beats Abstract
Examples make ideas testable and memorable.
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Write for Scanning
Structure helps readers find meaning before reading every word.
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The Audience Decides Meaning
A message means what the reader takes from it, not what the writer intended to put in.
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Writing Reveals Muddled Thinking
Prose forces sequence and commitment, so an argument that cannot be written down clearly was usually not clear.
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Silence Does Work
A pause after a question transfers the pressure to speak, and often produces the more useful answer.
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Bad News Early
The cost of a problem grows with the delay in reporting it, and so does the damage to your credibility.
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One Message Per Message
When a message carries several asks, the reader answers the easiest and the rest are lost.
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Tone Outlives Content
People forget the details of a message and remember how it made them feel about you.