The Importance of Getting to the Point

If you want something….if you have something someone else wants….then share it. But don’t share it in such a way that you pussy-foot around the idea, beat around the bush, float all around it, or do anything that contains the word “around”. Just say it. GET TO THE POINT.

I often sit in long, boring meetings (as I’m sure we all do) and wonder “What is the point of this? How can this benefit me/my business? If someone is just yammering away, content in their own self centred view of the world, I tend to tune out. I think about my grocery list. Or those hundreds of emails I have to reply to if I ever get out of this godforsaken meeting on time. But what I don’t do is focus on what people are talking about. Why? Because they aren’t getting their point across.

If you want something, ask for it. If you have something to say, say it. If you have an idea, find the people that can help you implement your idea and tell them about it. Clearly. Concisely. Get their attention, then leave them wanting more. If they want more, give it to them. But don’t take up a lot of their time with bogus, broad statements about why you are the best or brightest. Just show them how it will work. And then go do it.

It’s like the boy who likes a girl but doesn’t want to tell her, for fear of rejection. So he bugs her, taunts her, gives her bits and pieces of the more annoying aspects of his personality. She wonders, “what is up with this guy – what’s he trying to get at?” and eventually, out of confusion and frustration, she stops paying attention. Meanwhile, the boy is working hard, really hard at trying to get her attention, but to no avail. Eventually the girl loses interest and finds some other guy. The poor boy is out of luck and stuck wondering “What did I do wrong? Why didn’t she pay attention to what I had to say?”. The sad part is all he really had to do was be up front, say what he meant and then wait for her to come calling.

If you want something – find out what it takes and go get it. It takes nothing more than a little thought (i.e. get your shit together) and a little more courage. But I’m telling you, it will pay off way more than if you sit there, flapping your lips, and not making a point.

So, make it your goal this week to find something you want, and go get it…but GET TO THE DAMN POINT. Or you’ll find you might be outta luck.