If You Can’t Be Brilliant, Be Brief…

1. This Week’s Encouragement

One of my favorite professors at Northwestern was Dr. Peter Miller. He taught at the School of Communication (formerly—and fondly—known as the School of Speech), and he helped deepen my love and fascination for all things communication. I’ll never forget one of his quotes (not sure if it is an original quote), which has stuck with me for over 20 years:

“If you can’t be brilliant, be brief.”

Whenever we had a 10-page paper due, he’d remind the class of this. No need for sneaky margin expansions, fancy charts, or playing with font sizes to hit the page count. He was all about quality over quantity. Emboldened by what I viewed as a challenge, I would turn in a four-page paper. By senior year, I was turning in a strong two-page paper in his classes. I received As on every single assignment.

That lesson in brevity carried me through my career in Tech PR. In press releases, the news had to be in the first line, the subject line told the whole story, and we paid by the character when sending things to the wire, so less was truly more.

Even now, I lean on that PR mindset when I’m drafting emails, writing follow-ups, or even working on this newsletter. I love you all, but I’m not here to take up 25 minutes of your day with a deep dive. We’re all busy—and let’s be honest, we’re all skimmers. Long emails? They get flagged for “when I have more time” (which is basically never).

So, here’s my challenge for you: Next time you’re staring at a blank screen about to write a response, think of Dr. Miller’s words and use your M.A.P.:

• Medium – Respect the platform. Email isn’t for novels.
• Audience – Consider who’s reading it.
• Point – Get to it. Fast.

Let’s keep it short, sweet, and to the point—just like Dr. Miller taught.

2. Event Recommendation: Success Bully Demo Day

Success Bully Demo Days presents: Inside Bully: Beating Your Inner Critic

?? Thursday, November 14, 2024 | ?? 9:30 AM PST | ?? Virtual Event

Welcome to Success Bully’s Inside Bully Demo Day! Join us for an exclusive virtual event where you’ll get a first-hand look at our powerful framework designed to help you conquer the biggest barrier to success: your Inside Bully.

What is the Inside Bully? The Inside Bully is that pesky inner critic—the voice that sows doubt, fuels imposter syndrome, and holds you back from your true potential. At Success Bully, we’ve crafted a unique approach to face this bully head-on, empowering you and your team to transform negative self-talk into positive action.

What You’ll Learn:

• Introduction to the Inside Bully Framework: Discover how our communication techniques can shift your self-talk and enhance your performance.
• Hands-On Strategies: Engage in live exercises to identify and challenge the lies your Inside Bully tells you, replacing them with empowering dialogue.
• Transformative Mindset Techniques: Learn to rewire your brain, reinforcing confidence and resilience in both your career and personal life.
• Q&A with Keita Williams: Participate in an open conversation with our founder about how the Inside Bully framework can help you build a powerful, supportive mindset.

Event Details:

?? Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024

?? Time: 9:30 AM PST (12:30 PM EST)

?? Location: Virtual (Zoom link provided upon registration)

3. ?Scene & Heard: South Sound Entrepreneurship Week (October 21st – October 25, 2024)

This week, South Sound is buzzing with entrepreneurial energy during the five-day celebration of South Sound Entrepreneurship Week. I had the privilege of serving as a panelist during the opening night fireside chat at Tacoma Arts Live, where we kept the insights sharp and to the point—because in entrepreneurship, just like in communication, brevity is key.

The event, led by local entrepreneurs and fueled by the dynamic startup ecosystem, is all about making quick, meaningful connections and driving innovation forward. From meetups and lectures to panel discussions and celebrations, each session delivers value without the fluff.

And there’s still time to join in! Whether you’re looking for inspiration or action, South Sound’s startup scene has it all—where ideas ignite, and dreams take flight in real time.

Don’t miss out! Sign up for sessions now and dive into the action.

https://www.southsoundentrepreneurshipweek.com/

4. Quote:

“If you can’t be brilliant, be brief.” – Dr. Peter Miller

5. Ask Keita

Q: Ask Keita Dear Keita, I constantly second-guess myself when writing emails at work. I worry about sounding unclear or not coming across the right way. How can I build confidence and communicate more effectively through email? — Overthinking in Olympia

A. Dear Overthinking, Email can definitely feel tricky, especially with that inner critic nitpicking every word. Here’s a simple approach to boost your confidence and clarity:

• Acknowledge the critic – That voice saying, “This email isn’t good enough” is your Inner Bully talking.
• Keep it simple – Focus on brevity. Clear, concise emails are always better received.
• Send it – Stop overanalyzing. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel.

For more tools to silence the Inner Bully and improve your communication, join us for Success Bully Demo Day on November 14th. RSVP today to sharpen your skills and master clear, confident email communication!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this week’s Take 5 Tuesday! I truly appreciate you being part of the Success Bully community. If today’s thoughts resonated with you, feel free to share them with someone who could use that extra boost. Don’t hesitate to comment, like, or drop me a line—I love hearing your thoughts!

Ready to take the next step? Let’s finish this year strong together! Book a call to schedule a custom training for your team, or join us at Demo Days on November 14th to experience our B.U.L.L.Y. framework in action.

Let's get after it!

Keita -- Your Favorite Success Bully

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