Talk and Write to Time

“Face-Time Fantasy”. Too often, staff people estimate their value on the basis of the number of minutes and hours they spend in the presence of, or interacting with, senior executives. The face time that truly matters is the time the staff person spends giving useful advice to an organizational leader. Yes, leaders often ask personal and personable questions. They appear to have a genuine interest in the individual who is advising them, and they really may. Nevertheless, for the most senior executives, face time is far less about getting personal than about gaining key information to stay in or get ahead of the game.

            Always talk to time rather than filling time with talk. Find ways to limit what you talk about so that whatever your topic, you are ready to provide information in a format and fashion that is direct, helpful, and instructive. Talking to time means remembering that in English-speaking cultures, we say about 150 words per minute. Every document, every script, every piece of written information should be screened for its time requirement. Post that number on the document. This can be done very easily by putting a word count (using your computer’s word count function) at the top of each page or document. Divide that word count by 150, and you have the approximate number of minutes it will take people to read the document or to present it. The operative rule is to write less but make it more significant and important. Say less but make it more powerful.

            The more important the decision or the bigger the question or issue, the more likely it is that action will be pushed off until it has to be dealt with on an urgent or even panicky basis. The challenge, then, is to structure advice in a potent verbal or written format that makes more strategic decisions faster and helps managers make more strategic decisions. The Three-Minute Drill is such a format. If you can commit to using it, it will change your relationship with your boss dramatically and help you have a much higher level of personal self-confidence, influence, acceptance, and respect.

*©2006-2025, James E. Lukaszewski, “Why Should the Boss Listen to You, The Seven Disciplines of the Trusted Strategic Advisor, pages 39-40,” Josey Bass. Contact the copyright holder at jel@e911.com for information and reproduction permissions. Editing or excerpting forbidden.