Simple & straightforward.
In my recent SWE article on my experience with mentoring, I mentioned how blessed I had been to have so many mentors and advisors, including amazing support from my immediate and extended family. I have discussed and received advice on many career-related topics from aunts, uncles and cousins.
I was so happy to recently chat with one of my cousins who gave me some amazing ideas for MBFAW! She's a Senior Director of R&D at a huge company that makes products you have in your home and use often. She's an amazing engineer and business leader. And she took her high school cousin to a college party many years ago - so she's also super cool!
My cousin explained to me that she has been focusing on simplifying the complex. Working with high-level executives in a technical area, she is focusing on being concise and intentional with senior leader communications. Instead of giving all the data, thinking of things in 3 bullets is needed to get the point across and communicate well.
Enter: Keep It Simple and Straightforward. Believed to have been coined in the 1960s by an aircraft engineer, KISS is an acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid … but I don't like that word so I changed it to Keep It Simple and Straightforward.
Here are some things to consider to make sure you are applying KISS to your communications. Doing so can accelerate your career success!
Be direct. Take out fluff and filler words.
Remember your why. Put yourself in the audience's shoes: what information do they need and for what purpose?
Be concise. Take out everything possible without taking away from the message.
