What I wish I knew about speaking less…

The more I grow as a leader, the more I realize how often I should shut up.

So in the spirit of “do as I say, not as I do”, here are three things I am NOT good at, but you should try to be…

Don’t speak first.

I keep leaning in – you should wait, listen, and let the room do your thinking for you. The best answers often arrive after someone else is thinking out loud vs. you.

Make your point one sentence.

I love grand explanations for the sake of context (IYKYK 🙃). You should practice a single sharp line that forces a decision. Less air = more impact.

Resist the urge to explain.

I explain to help influence – but you should shut up, absorb the pushback, and let feedback turn your rough idea into something usable.

Sometimes we’re just wired to process information OUT LOUD, be provocative, and verbose – this requires constant uncomfortable self-control for me that I work on every day. But let my weakness be your lesson.

Say less and innovate faster. Your results will speak volumes.

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