Brief

Brief Plot Summary

Introduction

In today's hyper-connected world, we're constantly bombarded with information. The average professional receives over 300 emails weekly, checks their phone 150 times daily, and spends nearly 60% of working hours in meetings. Amid this chaos, our most brilliant ideas often get lost in a sea of words, buried under lengthy presentations and rambling conversations. This communication crisis affects everyone from CEOs to entry-level employees. When you fail to be clear and concise, the consequences can be brutal: wasted time, lost opportunities, confused clients, and worthy ideas rejected simply because they weren't expressed efficiently. The good news? Brevity is a skill that can be mastered. By learning to say more with less, you'll stand out in an attention-deficit economy where the ability to capture and maintain someone's attention has become the ultimate competitive advantage.

Chapter 1: Cultivate Your Awareness of Brevity

Brevity isn't just about being quick—it's about respecting people's time and mental capacity. In our information-saturated world, executives and colleagues are mentally stretched thin, constantly dealing with interruptions, distractions, and information overload. When you're succinct, you instantly make their lives easier, and they remember and appreciate that. Ed, a senior executive, experienced this challenge firsthand during an important meeting with an advertising agency. The meeting was scheduled for an hour to discuss strategies for reaching younger buyers—a crucial initiative for his company. However, just five minutes in, Ed received a text from his wife about an urgent financial aid packet for his daughter's college. While responding, he missed key points from the presentation. Then a colleague knocked on the door with another "urgent" matter, pulling him away for several minutes. By the time he returned, the meeting's momentum was lost. "The agency understands how busy I am," Ed lamented, "but it took them 50 minutes to get to the point. There was too much buildup and no clear message." When asked who was at fault, Ed initially blamed the agency but then reconsidered. "Maybe you're right. I was the one checking texts and getting interrupted. But they should have gotten to the point faster." The reality is that today's world of information inundation, inattention, interruptions, and impatience requires a new approach. Busy professionals need communicators who can cut to the chase and help them stay focused. The modern mind is a barrier—and brevity is the key to entry. To master brevity, start by examining your own communication habits. Can you hear an hour's worth of complex information and summarize it in two minutes? Do your emails get to the point in five lines or less? Can you translate complicated ideas into simple stories or analogies? These skills aren't just nice to have—they're essential for making your message heard in today's fast-paced environment.

Chapter 2: Map Your Message for Clarity

Mapping your message means organizing your thoughts visually before you speak or write, creating a road map that ensures clarity and precision. This visual outlining approach transforms vague ideas into structured communication that respects your audience's time and attention span. Professional communicators often mistakenly abandon outlines as they progress in their careers. While creating outlines was a standard requirement in school, many discard this practice in professional settings—whether preparing for a big pitch, an important meeting, or even routine email correspondence. This abandonment leads to confusion, wasted time, and missed opportunities. Consider the case of Landon, a senior sales representative who never uses outlines to prepare for presentations or follow-ups with important accounts. He prepares mentally but never in writing. The results are predictable: his PowerPoints routinely run over an hour, his follow-up emails stretch for paragraphs, and his account plans for his boss are at least 20 pages each, filled with unnecessary details. His sales pitch not only runs too long but also contains disconnected thoughts that leave prospective clients confused and disengaged. The solution is a BRIEF Map—a visual outlining tool designed specifically for lean communication. Each BRIEF Map has five key components: Background (how to start), Reason (why this matters now), Information (key points to include), Ending (clear conclusion), and Follow-up (anticipated questions). This structure provides a framework for delivering concise, impactful messages. Bob, a project manager overseeing a crucial technology update, used a BRIEF Map to transform his executive updates. Instead of rambling through project challenges and details, he organized his thoughts beforehand. With his BRIEF Map in hand, Bob delivered a crystal-clear five-minute update that addressed the CEO's concerns and earned his continued support. The preparation allowed Bob to anticipate questions and appear remarkably in tune with the executive's thinking. To create your own BRIEF Map, start by identifying your central message—what's the one thing you want your audience to remember? Then build outward: How will you introduce the topic? Why does it matter right now? What three key points must be included? How will you conclude? What questions might arise? This preparation enables you to deliver what the author calls a "no assembly required" message—one that's instantly clear and actionable.

Chapter 3: Tell Stories, Not Data Dumps

Storytelling is the antidote to meaningless corporate jargon. People connect with and remember stories far better than they do lists of facts or features. A well-crafted narrative creates instant clarity and emotional connection that data alone cannot achieve. Steve Jobs masterfully demonstrated this when unveiling the first iPhone at MacWorld in 2007. Rather than launching into technical specifications, Jobs began with a compelling narrative: "Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything." He positioned Apple as a company that repeatedly introduces breakthrough products and framed competitors' smartphones as difficult to use and not very intuitive. By telling a story about why the iPhone needed to exist, Jobs created context that made the technical details meaningful when he finally shared them. In contrast, many organizations struggle to explain themselves clearly. When a business consultant in New York was approached about an executive position at a professional services firm, he visited their website to prepare for the interview. Confused by the corporate jargon and buzzwords, he called his cousin to help decipher what the company actually did. Even after careful examination, all they found was a laundry list of business terms that didn't describe anything specific—the company was "saying everything and nothing at all." To avoid this common pitfall, organizations can use Narrative Mapping—a method for organizing and delivering compelling stories. A Narrative Map has five key elements: a focal point (the central message), a setup or challenge (the problem being addressed), an opportunity (the unmet need), an approach (how the story unfolds), and a payoff (how the setup is resolved). This structure transforms dry corporate messaging into engaging narratives that people can understand and remember. W.W. Grainger, a Fortune 500 industrial distributor, used this approach to communicate their five-year strategic vision. Instead of presenting a complex strategy document, their leadership team created a simple narrative about two customer types they nicknamed "Al and Betty." Al was a janitor who valued time, convenience, and quality, while Betty was an accountant focused on saving money. This story perfectly captured their strategy and spread throughout the organization. Employees created visual reminders of Al and Betty and constantly asked, "How would this help Al?" and "How would this serve Betty?" The narrative compelled more than 13,000 U.S. employees to think differently about how they served customers. When crafting your own narrative, remember to keep stories short, focus on real business issues (not fables), and make sure your story makes a clear point. The goal isn't to entertain but to create understanding—to explain why, how, who, when, where, and "so what" in a human and memorable way.

Chapter 4: Master Controlled Conversations

Mastering brevity doesn't mean killing off conversations; it means having controlled conversations with rhythm, purpose, and a point. A controlled conversation is a disciplined exchange where what you're talking about matters to the person you're talking with, and your active listening tells you what matters to them. In a controlled conversation, you feel free to stop at any time without risking alienation or awkwardness. Consider airplane conversations as an example. When traveling, some people dread getting trapped in endless chatter with seatmates. However, those who master controlled conversations can have brief, engaging exchanges that don't last the entire trip. A businessman named Joe demonstrates this skill during flights. When he asks fellow travelers about their destinations, he avoids three common mistakes that lead to unwieldy conversations: passive listening (letting the other person ramble without engagement), waiting his turn (merely preparing his own speech while the other person talks), and impulsively reacting (responding to random thoughts without direction). Instead, he makes the conversation about the other person by asking thoughtful questions and controlling the rhythm. This approach follows what Joe calls "TALC Tracks"—Talk, Active Listening, and Converse. First, let the other person talk without interruption. Second, actively listen for key words, names, dates, and narrative threads rather than zoning out or planning your response. Third, when a natural pause comes, jump in to comment, question, or bridge to a related topic that builds the conversation. General William B. Caldwell IV applied these principles to transform military media briefings in Iraq. Instead of standing behind a podium delivering formal speeches as his predecessor had done, Caldwell brought in an executive table and sat with journalists for conversational updates. He would begin by saying, "I've got about 10 minutes of information to talk to you about—and then we can take questions for another 15 minutes or so." This format shift created a more comfortable atmosphere where everyone felt their questions were being answered. Similarly, Jordan, a young military officer with U.S. Special Operations Command, abandoned a prepared 30-40 slide presentation when briefing a four-star general about an important operation plan. Despite months of preparation, Jordan decided to have a conversation instead of a formal presentation. "Because I'm sitting close and talking to him, he was very engaged. It was very much like he and I were having a conversation," Jordan explained. The general approved the plan immediately, whereas a slide-heavy approach might have delayed the decision. To master controlled conversations in your own life, focus on the other person's needs and interests rather than your own agenda. Ask good questions, listen carefully to the answers, and remember that brevity breeds better conversations—focused, disciplined, and respectful of everyone's time.

Chapter 5: Create Visual Impact Beyond Words

Visual communication has become increasingly essential in our screen-dominated world. Studies show that while we remember only 10 percent of what we hear and 30 percent of what we read, we remember a remarkable 80 percent of what we see. Given this preference for visual learning, there's an enormous opportunity to increase the effectiveness and brevity of your communication through visual elements. When thinking about showing what you mean, always consider your audience's perspective. Would you rather read a 500-page textbook filled with words or one with graphs, images, and diagrams? Would you prefer a PowerPoint slide with 10 bullet points or one with a strong image and a catchy title? The answers are obvious, yet many professionals continue to rely primarily on text. Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today, recognized this shift decades ago when he revolutionized newspapers in the 1980s. After analyzing how people read newspapers, Neuharth created a format with short stories that rarely jumped to a second page and used lots of visuals. His emphasis on the visual even created the cottage industry of infographics. Though critics initially dismissed his approach, major newspapers and magazines today have followed suit with prominent video and interactive visual components. Bruce Smith, a top designer for global office furniture company Steelcase, faced the challenge of communicating complex research behind their new chair design, Gesture. With thousands of images showing how people interact with technology, Smith's team created a "taxonomy of posture"—30 simple images on a single page that conveyed their findings clearly. "All we had to say was this: 'Technology, along with a new demographic in the workplace, is changing our behaviors, and here's the output: this little chart of 30 postures.' And boom. People just got it," Smith said. "It was beautiful." To incorporate more visuals in your own communication, try these simple approaches: Google images related to your presentation, draw during your talks, find or make short videos, use whiteboards to illustrate concepts, bring in small items for show-and-tell lessons, or show stunning photography instead of words. Remember that infographics don't have to be complicated—they just need to break down complex information into digestible visual formats. For digital communication, pay attention to formatting. Make your written communication more appealing by delivering a strong title or subject line, limiting emails to what fits in the original window without scrolling, embracing white space, using bold for key ideas, and incorporating bullets and numbers. These small changes can dramatically increase your message's impact and readability.

Chapter 6: Time Your Delivery Strategically

Strategic timing transforms ordinary communication into extraordinary impact. It's not just about what you say, but when and how quickly you deliver your message. In our attention-deficit economy, the first few minutes of any interaction are crucial for capturing interest and establishing credibility. Edna, a senior finance executive, shared a positive experience with a consulting firm that mastered this principle. Typically, her meetings followed a predictable pattern: introductions, PowerPoint presentations, interruptions, smartphone checking, and general inattention. However, this particular consulting team adapted to the new reality of shortened attention spans. "The first thing they did was give me a very powerful and very clear executive summary—all of their findings right up front, with no 'slow build,'" Edna explained. "They gave us the headline right out of the gate: 'This is what we've found, and this is what we think you should do.'" All substantive conclusions and insights were delivered within the first 5-10 minutes, even though they had an hour allocated for the meeting. This approach proved remarkably effective. When inevitable interruptions came with a knock at the door, Edna already had a clear understanding of the direction and key points. "I already had what I needed," she said. The consultants' PowerPoint presentation was concise, with only a dozen slides featuring strong headlines and visuals. More importantly, they created a conversation rather than a presentation, stopping frequently to listen and engage Edna in discussion. Brigadier General Rich Gross, legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, applies similar principles when briefing senior military leaders. "We tend to think that complex issues can't be brief," he said. "But you have to realize how busy people are, and how much they have to retain about hundreds of issues at any given time." Gross ensures his readers know exactly what the topic is before they finish the first paragraph of any document. "Nobody gets past that first paragraph or that opening first minute or two of a briefing without having already ingrained in their minds where I'm going and what I need from them," he explained. In sales contexts, timing is equally critical. Kristi Faulkner, president of advertising agency Womenkind, emphasizes that ideas must be extremely brief. "Three words are better than four, or four words are better than six," she says. "When you're trying to get an idea across to someone else, it should be crystal clear and easy to communicate." Elie Maalouf, former head of global food and beverage provider HMSHost, adds that "if you don't make an impression that you have something different and valuable in the first 5 or 10 minutes, the chances of the next 20 minutes being of use to you are slim." To improve your timing, always prepare for shorter windows than allocated. As Maalouf advises, "I always assume that I have half the time formally available." Practice delivering your key message in the first five minutes, be prepared to condense your presentation at a moment's notice, and remember that speaking slowly and sensing the mood in the room gives you command of the situation.

Chapter 7: Practice Digital Brevity Everyday

In our hyperconnected world, digital brevity has become essential. Studies show people check their smartphones an average of 150 times daily and spend nearly 30% of their workday managing email. Amid this digital flood, your messages must be economical with every word or risk becoming white noise. Verne Harnish, founder of Entrepreneurs' Organization and CEO of Gazelles, exemplifies digital brevity in every communication. His emails and newsletters feature catchy headlines, predictably short paragraphs, tight writing, and direct references to saving time. "I know I spend as much or more time trying to figure out what the headlines are than what I write next," Harnish explains. "I think writing headlines is a discipline every leader needs to adopt." Harnish structures his newsletters so busy executives can scan them in 30 seconds to determine relevance. "I let them know specifically how long it's going to take for them to dig in to something if they want to, so they can make decisions to do it now or later," he says. This respect for readers' time creates loyalty and ensures his messages get read. On social media, brevity becomes even more critical. According to Adam Brown, corporate social media pioneer at brands like Coca-Cola and Salesforce, "The most effective social media posts are around 80 characters. They are twice as effective as those at 140." Brown explains that social media's evolution has been characterized by increasing compression—from blogs to microblogs to platforms like Twitter and Instagram that emphasize brevity. Brandi Temple harnessed this principle to build her children's clothing company, Lolly Wolly Doodle. By keeping Facebook posts to around 30 words—simply describing the product, price, and available sizes with a picture attached—Temple created a social commerce powerhouse that attracted $20 million in venture capital. "When things started taking off, I used customers as my sounding board. I interacted daily on our Facebook page, sharing my story and designing clothes based on customer feedback," she explained. For emails, one executive maintains brevity by writing all messages on his smartphone, limiting each to what fits on a little screen without scrolling. "My boss reads email on the run; that's why I keep it short," he admits. This constraint forces clarity and conciseness. Dan Ariens, CEO of lawn equipment manufacturer Ariens Company, applies brevity principles across his organization through "Standard Work" sheets—one-page documents that include a simple picture, up to 10 explanatory steps, and a few comments. "We boil that down to one page that says, 'These are the standard ways that we do payroll, or accounting, or assembly station four.' It's very brief, very concise, and very focused work instruction," Ariens explains. This approach extends to strategic planning as well. "In my office, I have a single page for each strategic initiative. It states the strategy, its reason, and its purpose—and it should be only a sentence or two," says Ariens. His most valuable commodity is time, and he expects others to respect it through clear, concise communication. Jim Metcalf, CEO of USG Corporation, reinforces this principle by requiring all direct reports to state the purpose of each meeting up front. "One day I was coming home from a day filled with meetings and I thought, 'I accomplished nothing today.' I wasn't making an impact," Metcalf said. Now he expects the purpose to be clearly stated at the beginning: is this for information only or for a decision? By setting these expectations, Metcalf ensures his time is spent where shareholders want him to focus.

Summary

Throughout this exploration of brevity, we've discovered that saying less truly is the path to making a bigger impact. In our attention-deficit economy, the ability to be clear, concise, and compelling separates those who influence from those who are ignored. As the author reminds us, "If you want to get more, decide to say less." This isn't just about using fewer words; it's about respecting others' time and mental bandwidth by delivering messages that are instantly digestible and actionable. The journey to brevity begins with awareness of our overwhelming information environment, continues with disciplined communication techniques like BRIEF Maps and controlled conversations, and culminates in decisive application across all contexts—from meetings to emails, presentations to small talk. Your next step is simple but powerful: choose one communication context where brevity would make the biggest difference in your professional life. Apply the techniques you've learned—map your message, tell a story instead of dumping data, engage in controlled conversations, incorporate visuals, and time your delivery strategically. Remember that brevity isn't about saying less for its own sake—it's about making your words count.

About Author

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Joseph McCormack

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