For many years, I considered executive summaries and/or abstracts as analogous to most effective executive interactions. “Be bright. Be brief. Be gone.” one of my former leaders used to say. That was a great lesson.

With the advent of 2020 and the massive shift to virtual meetings, brevity is still very important, maybe even more so given how Zoom fatigue is impacting us and our direct reports. We need to get to the point, quickly and efficiently.

Be Concise

As part of a consulting engagement, I was gathering peer feedback on a CEO. One of his colleagues commented, “He typically uses 300 words to state what could be covered in 50.” Obviously, this was not an accolade, but an identified area of improvement. Although I am generalizing somewhat, it is important to develop the ability to concisely communicate an issue, a recommendation, or an idea. As with all attributes of executive presence, the earlier in your career you do develop this skill, the better.

The ability to briefly and effectively communicate will benefit you in all professional interactions. People will pay more attention to what you have to say when you are brief. Your words will carry more weight. Your audience – whether one person or several people – is more likely to retain your message, and is more likely to understand your key points, if you are brief. This will heighten your influence when communicating.

Selective Information Intake

Executives are bombarded with information. The skillful ones quickly assess and formulate a plan or decision. On a daily basis, like panning for gold, they extract what issues require their attention, what meetings they will attend, what problems carry the greatest risk, what action they must personally take, and what can be delegated to another.

Virtual Meetings

How you plan and run your virtual meetings impacts your ability to keep things short and to the point while garnering valuable contributions from participants. Here are a few things to consider before your next meeting:

• Shorten the meeting.  Keep your meetings as short as possible. The added pressure will ensure that everyone gets to the point quickly. If you are the host, be sure to observe the participants and move the conversation along.
• Cameras on for visual feedback and engagement. This will go a long way in aiding you to facilitate the conversation, and ensure all voices are heard and people are engaged. Having cameras on also reduces multi-tasking, which can extend the length of your meeting.
• Share an agenda in advance. This allows everyone, including you, to show up prepared, and establishes expectations and a flow for the meeting.
• Set time limits for participation. Let your meeting attendees know how much time has been allotted to a particular topic or exercise.

Now, more than ever, given the current virtual working environment, brevity is an important factor in maintaining engagement and having impact. The responsibility lies with you to set the bar and ensure that your meetings are effective and brief, but if you prepare, it can be done.

© 2021 Lorraine A. Moore. All rights reserved. Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution.

Written with excerpts from Feet to the Fire: How to Exemplify and Create the Accountability that Creates Great Companies. For more on how to lead with a model of personal accountability, pick up a copy today on Amazon!

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