“Be brief, be brilliant, be gone,” is oft-quoted and less frequently followed. The quote is often attributable to President Woodrow Wilson; however, several other luminaries have spoken to the theme. Here are a few of my favorites:
- “Be sincere; be brief; be seated.” Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill
- “Grasp the subject, the words will follow.” Cato The Elder
- “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” Oliver Wendell Holmes
All of these quotes sound the same theme: 1) be strategic in your communication – ask what is the goal to be achieved? 2) be intentional – once the goal is determined select the words that will allow you to achieve that goal; 3) be impactful – be economic with your word choice since less is more; and, 4) leave the listener with the impact you intended.
"“Be Brief, Be Brilliant, Be Gone:” Maximizing Communication." Diana Peterson-More Blog. December 11, 2019
