Helping leaders motivate their people to a higher level of performance through strong human relations, team building, and goalachieving. This is the seven Minute Leadership Podcast with your host Paul Fello Aledo.
Hello everyone, and welcome to the seven Minute Leadership Podcast. It's episode two seventeen. In today's episode deals with a common problem when leaders say too much. Leadership is as much about what we say as how we say it. But have you ever found yourself saying too much, overloading your team with information or losing focus during critical moments?
That's what I'm talking about. So picture this. You're in a meeting and the leader spends twenty minutes trying to explain a new initiative, and by the end, no one is sure what's being asked of them sound familiar. Over communication, or more precisely, unfocused communication can lead to confusion, wasted time, and even frustration within a team. A Harvard Business Review study found that teams perform best when leaders communicate clearly
and concisely. Saying too much can dilute the message, leaving employees uncertain about priorities or next steps. More words don't equal more clarity. In fact, they often have the opposite effect. And let me give you two examples to make this point. A CEO rolled out a major organizational change in a company wide email that was six pages long. Employees were left overwhelmed and unsure what to focus on, and this
misstep created weeks of unnecessary back and forth clarifications. And on the flip side, when Elon Musk announced Tesla's goals for the next decade, he communicated it in one tweet accele r the world's transition to sustainable energy. It was simple, clear, and rallied his team and investors all over the world. If you can't explain your vision or directive in a sentence or two, it's time to refine it. So why do we as leaders sometimes say too much? It's the
fear of being misunderstood. We over explain because we think more words will prevent confusion. It's also the uncertainty about the message. Sometimes we aren't clear on what we want to communicate ourselves, and it's the desire to sound knowledgeable. Let's be honest. Sometimes we try to prove we know everything, but it often backfires. Saying too much often reflects a lack of preparation or focus on what truly matters. Great communication starts with clarity in your own mind. So now
that we've identified the problem, let's talk solutions. Define the purpose of your communication. Before speaking or writing, ask yourself, what's the goal? What's the one thing I want my audience to take away? Write it down in one sentence and build your communication around that. Use the rule of three. People retain information better in groups of three. For example, instead of listing ten priorities, focus on your top three.
This keeps your team focused and aligned. And this is why on this show I often present points or make statements in groups of three. And finally, ask for feedback. After sharing your message, ask someone to summarize it back to you. If they can't explain it simply, you may need to revise how you communicate it. And here are two pro tips for you. Keep your emails under two hundred words and limit meetings to actionable topics only. Simplicity
saves time and drives results. So here is your challenge for this, and challenge you to audit your communications. Review the last three emails or team meetings you led. Did you focus on the key message or did you include unnecessary details? Then for your next team meeting, use the rule of three and see how it impacts clarity and engagement. Remember, less is more. You have to remember that clarity is
your superpower. Don't overwhelm your team with words. Drive them with simple, precise points, because when you focus on what truly matters and communicate it clearly, you empower your team to act with clarity and confidence to get right to the point of your objective. Remember, rate leaders don't say more, they say what matters. This has been the seven Minute Leadership Podcast and as always, I thank you for listening.
For more Paul Fellovolito podcast, visit Paul fellowalito dot com.