Tedium

People are often not heard or paid attention to because they’re tedious in their communication. Don’t be tedious. When you speak or when you write.

Tedium bores people. They lose interest and you lose your audience. It’s the quickest way to make your communication ineffective.

Here are a few ways to remove tedium:

• Be concise - Edit ruthlessly. Express your ideas in the fewest words necessary.
• Vary your sentence structure - Mix short, punchy sentences with more complex ones.
• Use concrete examples - Abstract concepts become tedious quickly; specific examples bring ideas to life.
• Know your audience - Tailor your level of detail and vocabulary to their knowledge and interests.
• Embrace the power of narrative - Stories maintain attention better than pure exposition.
• Avoid unnecessary repetition - Make your point once, effectively.
• Inject personality - A touch of humor or personal perspective can enliven even serious topics.
• Be responsive, not just declarative - In conversation, build on what others say rather than just waiting to deliver your prepared thoughts.
• Prioritize insights over information - Focus on what matters rather than exhaustive coverage.
• End before exhaustion - Leave your audience wanting slightly more rather than wishing for less.