Less really is more. Tough action is required to ensure that businesses can get done the things that really matter.
Brevity equates to intelligence. The less time it takes to articulate a point, the better expressed it is. The more you leave out, the closer you get to the heart of the matter. Blaise Pascal, the scientist and philosopher who lived in the 1600s, had the right idea. He said: “I have made this longer than usual because I have not had the time to make it shorter.”
You will probably have heard the expression that less is more. This is the notion that simplicity and clarity lead to good design. It is a 19th century proverbial phrase, of unknown origin, but often associated with the architect and furniture designer Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, one of the founders of modern architecture and a proponent of simplicity of style. He was also the man behind “God is in the details”.
The prevailing mood of much modern speech is long-winded, circuitous, and not necessarily very well thought out. Clarity of spoken approach will have a direct bearing on an ability to embark on rapid, effective action.
The less time it takes to articulate a point, the better expressed it is
The less you concentrate on, the more you will get done in total. The benefits of leaving it out are:
1. Clarity: You can see what needs doing
2. Priority: You get the important things done first
3. Progress: Nothing at all was getting done before
4. Speed: You can do everything else faster
5. Volume: You get more done in total
Too many businesses (and individuals) rush into activity without truly knowing why they are doing it, so before you do anything at all, make sure that you ask the most powerful question of all, which is: does this need to be done at all?
Kevin Duncan is an author and campaigner for plain English. His profile and books can be found at expertadviceonline.com
