Simple communication expresses the core of an idea
How do we find the essential core of our ideas?
To strip an idea down to its core, we must be masters of exclusion. We must relentlessly prioritize. Saying something short is not the mission—sound bites are not the ideal. Proverbs are the ideal. We must create ideas that are both simple and profound. The Golden Rule is the ultimate model of simplicity: a one-sentence statement so profound that an individual could spend a lifetime learning to follow it.[1]
Good communication finds the core + shares the core. Simple = core + compact.[2]
See also:
- Communicating ideas requires overcoming the curse of knowledge
- Unexpected communication violates expectations
- Concrete communication explains in terms of human actions and senses
- Credible communication carries its own credentials
- Emotional communication makes people feel something
- Story-based communication elicits effective responses
Made to Stick – Heath and Heath (2007), § “Introduction.” ↩︎
Ibid., Epilogue § “Making Ideas Stick: the Easy Reference Guide.” ↩︎