Brief

Make a Bigger Impact by Saying Less

By: Joseph McCormack

Narrated by: Robin Bloodworth

Length: 5 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Get heard by being clear and concise. The only way to survive in business today is to be a lean communicator. Busy executives expect you to respect and manage their time more effectively than ever. You need to do the groundwork to make your message tight and to the point. The average professional receives 304 emails per week and checks their smartphones 36 times an hour and 38 hours a week. This inattention has spread to every part of life. The average attention span has shrunk from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight in 2012. So, throw them a lifeline and be brief.

Author Joe McCormack tackles the challenges of inattention, interruptions, and impatience that every professional faces. His proven B.R.I.E.F. approach, which stands for Background, Relevance, Information, Ending, and Follow-up, helps simplify and clarify complex communication. Brief will help you summarize lengthy information, tell a short story, harness the power of infographics and videos, and turn monologue presentations into controlled conversations. Details the B.R.I.E.F. approach to distilling your message into a brief presentation. Written by the founder and CEO of Sheffield Marketing Partners, which specializes in message and narrative development, who is also a recognized expert in narrative mapping, a technique that helps clients achieve a clearer and more concise message. Long story short: Brief will help you gain the muscle you need to eliminate wasteful words and stand out from the rest. Be better. Be brief.

©2014 Joseph McCormack (P)2014 Audible Inc.

phenomenal resource

Applies to absolutely everything that you do, whether it is verbal, written communication. must read.

fascinating, truthful, impactful

I absolutely completely ans truthfully recommend this book for your success and the satisfaction of all your stakeholders, at home, at school, at work, between friends, in romantic relationships, and even with animals!

Mediocre

The book is a short explanation of why being brief in written and oral communication is good, followed be repetitive stories about it. There are a few insights, but you can get 95% of the substance by reading the title.

“Long story short”… make the phrase a drinking game

Maybe this author should practice what is preached. Maybe the narrator should drop annoying bullet emphasis. TLDNL

Not So Breif

For a book on being "Brief" it was long, drawn-out and was annoying on the entire last chapter. "i", "ii"

High on justification, low on how-to

I understood the need for a first section dedicated to why brevity is important. But to my dismay, the actual how-to portions of this book Continue reiterating why brevity is important in 3000 different ways.

I already agree on the importance of brevity. I purchased this book because I struggle to achieve it. Midway through the book, I have found very little practical to make genuine growth and feel my time is best spent elsewhere.