Popular rule of communication and business is KISS. Keep it simple, silly. I violate this one all the time, but I am often reminded that it is something I should adhere to. Unless your business model is to bury your consumers in legalese and hidden fees, KISS works. We’ll give a quick example into how this plays out in the working world. If I go to my boss and say “I got the transcript done”, 9 times out of 10 I’ll get something along the lines of an “okay.” If I tell my boss my printer jammed, and then the page printed backwards, and then my ink cartridge flew across the room as if it was possessed, but I got the transcript done”, I sound like a blithering idiot. That said, all can see how doing the same exact thing, but communicating it differently, can make you sound like a totally different person. Life is about perceptions and in many employment settings, especially freelance, the employer’s perception of you dictates what they’ll pay. Make the best impression and KISS!
More personal stories. As an intern a judge asked how my training was going. All I had to say was “good, I am learning a lot.” I launched into a discussion about all the things I was learning, and he proceeded to become more and more confused as I talked about strokes and briefs. The reporter with me luckily broke in, stopped the carnage, and quietly told me words I’ll never forget: “Sometimes less is more.”
Case in point, I could’ve stopped at one example!
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