My Dogs Understand Clarity and Brevity... Do You?

None of my dogs know how to type. So far as I can tell, none of them use the Internet while I am sleeping. But they have mastered several skills that will benefit you greatly if you also embrace them.

For the record, I have three 70-pound rescue dogs. Dex, the black one, is 14 and far and away the smartest. Dakota, the tan and white one, is 12; she prefers to rest as much as possible. Hadley, 7, is bizarre in every way. An Australian Shepherd/Doberman mix, she moves more slowly than the older dogs, doesn't listen very well, but is kind and loving. (That kind part isn't really true, but it sounded nice, right?)

Here's what my dogs have mastered that you may not have: clarity and brevity.

Clarity...

When I ask, "Do you want to go outside?" they either come running or ignore me. There is no "on the one hand, yes, but on the other hand, maybe not". They know exactly what they want, and make it crystal clear. YES, they want a biscuit. YES, they want to be fed, even if it's not time to eat.

When I ask professionals, "What do you want?" many mumble or stare at me blankly. Some offer superficial answers or list their 5th or 6th most important desire.

Likewise, if you look at the way most people use LinkedIn or Twitter, it's not clear 1.) what their goals are or 2.) how they help other people. Number two is especially important because customers and employers pay you to help them, so being fuzzy about how you do this lessens your market value.

Brevity...

"Give me your paw," I say.

Dex gives me his paw. The transaction took two seconds.

"Give me your paw," I say.

Dakota gives me her paw. The transaction took two seconds.

"Give me your paw," I say.

Hadley looks over her shoulder. She turns her head the other way. She looks at the floor. Then she lies down.

She took five times as long as the other dogs, and I still don't have what I wanted. This is how many people interact online, and even in person. They don't listen. They are not observant. They waste your time and make you work harder than necessary.

The result, of course, is that by wasting other people's time you teach them to avoid you or to treat you badly.

For example, late at night when Dex wants to go outside, I let him out. Hadley always comes running, but I seldom let her out. She taught me that she doesn't listen, and she won't come in when I call. In contrast, Dex taught me that he'll do his business and be back in a minute; anytime he wants to go out, he gets to go out.

Before you feel all sorry for Hadley, nine times out of ten she wants to go outside to chase chipmunks or rabbits; she fails to come inside because she becomes obsessed with a nonsense task.

Likewise, on social media, many people become obsessed with a nonsense task, instead of focusing on winning new customers or building strong relationships across their industry, or with increasing their credibility and trust.

Have my dogs mastered social media? Nope. But they have mastered clarity and brevity. Can you make the same claim?

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Amy Blaschka and I recently co-founded MoreIntuitive.com. It's a free community for professionals looking for their next intuitive leap. Please join us.

Bruce Kasanoff is a ghostwriter for thought leaders. He is the author of NEVER TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU DO.

An earlier version of this article appeared on Forbes.