“The best managers don’t just manage up or down—they create influence and trust among their peers.”

– Jeffrey Pfeffer

During a recent forum event, a friend anxiously shared, “My company is not in alignment with our customer’s evolving agenda, and it’s costing us dearly. I am fearful our President doesn’t appreciate the vulnerability of our brands in this new world of competitive upstarts. We could experience a devastating sales fall off this year.”   She felt her voice was ineffective and disregarded. Many organizations often find themselves in the middle of competing priorities, where their customers’ financial requirements conflict with their own P&L.  This misalignment leads to friction, finger-pointing, and interdepartmental defensiveness. When sales leaders push for changes to benefit customer growth and are ignored by their leadership, the table has been set for a fall.

McKinsey & Company found that 65% of leaders reported communication barriers as a significant challenge in influencing other departments, including their leadership.  Sales organizations often struggle to communicate effectively the necessity of repairing customer alignment disjointedness in ways that resonate with internal leadership. Leadership often prioritizes short-term profit, while sales are focused on new competitive threats, evolving customer demands, and stretching sales results. Without internal alignment, you are vulnerable and don’t even know it.

COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN

We all like to believe that we’re crisp, compelling communicators. But many leaders are not as impactful as they may think. Do you suffer from any of these three communication flaws?

  1. MESSAGE COMPLEXITY: Have you ever sat in a meeting where the discussion spirals into tangents, one-off conversations, and endless detail? Studies show that 60% of communication breakdowns happen because of unnecessary wordiness. You might think you’re painting a thorough picture, but the reality is that you’re drowning your message in so much noise that people stop listening. Are you losing others by not synthesizing your message?
  2. MESSAGE OVERLOAD: When you overload others with extraneous detail, you make it harder for others to process. Our brains can only handle so much at once. By using excessive words, you’re reducing the quality of others’ decision-making. Excessive words reduce decision-making effectiveness by 30%. Leaders often believe that more information equates to better choices, but research tells us otherwise. Do you bury others with too many words?
  3. MESSAGE BOREDOM: Brief, to-the-point messages are 40% more persuasive than long-winded, complex statements. If your messaging is tangled up in unnecessary complexity, you’re likely distracting others and losing impact. In an attention economy, people are more likely to be persuaded by something clear, crisp, and concise. If your ideas are drowning in unnecessary details, don’t be surprised if you’re not inspiring action. Are you putting others into a trance with your long presentations?

BE BRIEF. BE BRIGHT. BE GONE.

Effective influence isn’t just about avoiding excess; it’s about making your message connect emotionally. How many times have you daydreamed during a long meeting or dismissed an email because it felt overwhelming and filled with unimportant supporting points? A staggering 82% of buyers consider sales content boring, and the same could often be said for our communications with our associates, peers, and leadership.

Research shows that 80% of the words we speak are unnecessary. These words don’t just add clutter; they cloud our key messages. The average attention span is a mere 8 seconds. So, if you’re using a hundred words when 20 would do, you’re not just losing your audience, you’re losing the moment.

THREE TIPS ON INFLUENCE

It’s clear: brevity matters. But how can you, as a leader, become a briefer communicator? Here are three practical, actionable tips:

THE FRAME: Every message you deliver should answer these three questions:

  • What? – What is the key point you’re trying to communicate?
  • So What? – Why does it matter? What’s the impact on the organization?
  • Now What? – What action or decision do you need from the listener?

This framework forces clarity and prevents unnecessary detail from creeping in. When you follow this model, you’re reducing cognitive overload and keeping your message focused on what truly matters.

THE BLUF MODEL: Studies show that presenting conclusions first leads to faster comprehension and better decision-making. Convey upfront, immediately what the idea or “ask” will be.  Don’t wait to reveal it at the end of the discussion.

THE 60-SECOND RULE: In meetings, emails, or presentations, make it a point to get to the point in the first 60 seconds. If you can’t summarize your key point in 60 seconds, you do not have a persuasive position. Leaders who communicate with urgency and precision stand out because they respect the value of time—both their own and everyone else’s.

Let’s face it—your communication reflects your leadership. In a distracted world, your ability to communicate briefly defines your authority as a leader. Leaders who are relational, human and compelling are leaders who are remembered, respected, and followed.

“If you’re not getting buy-in from your peers, you’re not truly leading.”
– Marshall Goldsmith