Brief

About the Author

Joseph McCormack is a seasoned marketing executive, a successful entrepreneur, and an acclaimed author known for his expertise in narrative messaging and corporate storytelling. His extensive client list includes renowned names like W.W. Grainger, Harley-Davidson, USG Corporation, BMO Harris Bank, SAP, MasterCard, Heinz, Hoffman-La Roche, and Jones Lang LaSalle. McCormack is a sought-after speaker on topics related to messaging, storytelling, change, and leadership.

Main Idea

In "Brief: Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less," Joseph McCormack presents a comprehensive approach to mastering the art of brevity in communication. The book tackles the challenges of modern-day communication, where attention spans are short and information overload is rampant. McCormack introduces the B.R.I.E.F. approach—Background, Relevance, Information, Ending, and Follow-up—as a structured method to deliver messages succinctly and effectively, ensuring maximum impact.

Table of Contents

1. Heightened Awareness in a World Begging for Brief
2. How to Gain Discipline to Be Clear and Concise
3. Gaining the Decisiveness to Know When and Where to Be Brief

Heightened Awareness in a World Begging for Brief

In today's world, inundated with information, brevity is not just a luxury but a necessity. Busy professionals face constant interruptions and distractions, making it crucial to capture their attention quickly. McCormack emphasizes that a master of brevity says less and accomplishes more.

"Smart people present to busy people, who are constantly flooded with information, are regularly interrupted, are easily distracted and often grow impatient."

McCormack introduces the concept of BRIEF Balance, which is the harmony of being clear, concise, and compelling. This balance is vital because brevity does not mean superficiality; it requires deep expertise and thorough preparation. By investing the time to distill complex information into a concise message, professionals can save their audience from unnecessary mental labor.

Today's executives wake up to a barrage of emails, texts, and updates, and their attention is severely taxed. To break through this noise, one must understand and counteract four forces: information inundation, inattention, interruptions, and impatience. McCormack explains:

"You need to understand your enemies to defeat them. These four forces are constantly playing against you: Information inundation: an unending flood of words, images, sounds, and social media. Inattention: an inability to stay focused on one item for more than 10 seconds. Interruptions: a steady stream of problems competing for time and consideration. Impatience: a growing intolerance for results."

The Seven Capital Sins of Communication

McCormack identifies seven common pitfalls that hinder clear and concise communication: