“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”
This quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, acknowledges that good communication is not always measured in volume.
In school, the kids who write the most pages typically get the reputation of being the best essay writers. But long-winded writing or speaking can sometimes distract from a clear, unambiguous message.
Ambitious people don’t have limitless time and often get bored easily, they will tend to disengage from verbose explanations (and their phone is always at hand to play with).
Clear, brief communication is the way to interact with these people, but getting across your point briefly and with enough detail requires self-discipline and a careful choice of words.
As in all things in business, there are circumstances that need to be met with time and fluency, but there are other moments when a few carefully chosen words will have far more impact.
The skill is in picking the right approach for the right occasion.
