No you’re not making sense

This week, as I’ve been discussing productivity in one of  my groups, one thing has really resonated again and again: the importance of having a clear message. (And testing it out if necessary.)

Whether we’re putting together a masterclass, writing an article, working on a thesis or just chatting, being clear is key.

I’ve learned to avoid asking, ‘Is that clear?’ because, let’s be honest, people are likely to say ‘yes’ even when they’re confused. This is a big reason why things often don’t go as planned. I’m still working on avoiding, ‘Does that make sense to you?’ It’s a tough habit to break!

I’ve also noticed that people who love to talk or think out loud can quickly overwhelm others with too much information. So they switch off and miss the key messages. (But they’re too polite or fearful  to say ‘can you slow down, please?’)  Then confusion reigns, leading to less productivity and more time wasting.

For example, one of my clients recently expressed her frustration about her team constantly missing deadlines. After digging a bit deeper, it became clear that team members were confused about the tasks and priorities, which led to procrastination.  She had repeated herself several times, but through our discussion, I had to point out that her explanations weren’t quite making sense. She sounded muddled and ambiguous.

And then there’s the issue of interpretation.. When someone says, ‘You need to improve your communication with the team’ or ‘you need to be more visible,’ what exactly does that mean?

Vague statements lead to misunderstandings and unmet expectations.

And less productivity.

To your success – and productivity – always.