At the beginning of the year, many people clean out their closet. Organize drawers, separate papers, throw away what is no longer useful and feel a certain relief. I invite you to do the same, only in your communication.
Therefore, perhaps the best way to start the year is to learn to be more objective and strategic. Over the course of more than 15 years preparing presidents and executives of the largest companies in Brazil, I can say: being succinct is a technique and also a huge competitive advantage.
Let go of irrelevant details in meetings. Shorten presentations. Cancel invitations for long conversations that could be resolved with a clear, direct and well-written email. Far from being cold or lack of care. This is being succinct and respectful.
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One of the biggest reasons for communication fatigue in companies is excessive information. There are those who give long presentations to prove how hard they worked, to show how arduous and complex the project was, but end up burying the audience with data that does not help with understanding, decisions or taking actions. The effect is predictable: separation, confusion, mental fatigue, noise, conflict, rework, lost time and money going away.
According to the study The Cost of Poor Communicationslarge companies in the United States lose, on average, US$62.4 million per year due to communication failures. To show value you don’t need to say much. It needs to be relevant.
A story illustrates this well. James Watson, one of the scientists responsible for discovering the structure of human DNA, the basis for paternity tests and genome mapping, published this scientific revolution in a one-page article in one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the world. A discovery that changed humanity, explained in a simple, objective and appropriate way for the audience, the objective and the context.
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There is a method for choosing what goes into a presentation and, mainly, what is left out. The key word is clarity of intent. Before speaking, plan: who will listen to me? What do I want from this conversation? What do I expect this person to do next?
Short sentences, explicit central message. Being straight to the point is essential in board meetings, presentations to the board and in contexts where people experience a marathon of meetings, decisions and tight deadlines. Want a shortcut? Start at the end. Highlight the central point and objective right away: “We have a new goal for 2026. I will explain why and what we will do, from now on, to achieve it.”
Thomas Jefferson summed it up elegantly: “The most valuable of all talents is never to use two words when only one will do.” I agree. Those who are clear attract attention, gain admiration and become someone who is pleasant to listen to.
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During my master’s degree in Vancouver, I closely followed official TED Talks. The method is always the same: a very well-defined central idea. When the audience leaves, what do you want them to spread around? Or think, feel and do? This response defines what goes in and, above all, what comes out of the presentation.
We live buried in information, courses, books, messages and notifications. In this scenario, speaking less refines. My invitation is direct: in 2026, be more succinct, more strategic, more clear. Bring your voice into play with intention and confidence. Your team will thank you, especially, for the information you chose not to give.
