“Stop rambling!” my brain shrieks at me, jumping up and down on the sidelines as I speak into my phone, try to sound coherent in the midst of a Voxer chat. I realize, minutes later, that I have done exactly what drives me crazy–rambled on, pursuing one idea after another, never quite bringing any to completion. It’s a fun strategy when writing, pursuing one thought, then another, stringing them together in a long dribble of words that fill paragraphs, pages. Aloud, you’re left with silence as people wonder, “What the heck was he trying to say?”

Time for brevity…as the saying goes, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” This is my Voxer vow–to speak briefly, sparing with my words.

An excerpt from Speak Briefly with Compassion and Warmth:

 “Speak briefly, speak warmly, and fill every sentence with kindness, clarity, and optimism.” When I teach communication strategies to students, teachers, therapists, attorneys and corporate leaders, we practice the “10-10 Game.” You face each other, raise your fists and begin speaking and counting. The slower you speak the better…Slower speaking also improves neural comprehension…eliminates anxiety and irritability….

How do you do it?