9 - 3 - 6.... 1 - 0 - 6 - 4.

That was my phone number a while ago.  Somewhere.

8 - 9 - 4.... 1 - 1 - 1 - 1

That was my dad's office number when I was aged 0 to 7 (1966 to 1973).

Why can I remember that?  Because I am sad?  Maybe, but I'm no Rain Man.

I remember it because there are only 7 things to remember.  We humans can remember a small number of things.  Three preferably.  Seven at a push (quick name all seven dwarves... yes, you are missing Doc.)

Whereas, what is my wife's mobile number? 

No idea. 

What is my office switchboard? 

Not a clue.

Because there are too many numbers now.

In our jobs we are already asked to know a bunch of things that we do regularly: people, processes, plans... All things that we do a lot and are specific to us and our job.

Then there are all sorts of other things that internal communicators (the CEO, HR, IT, etc.) want me to know on top of that.

On a good day I've got 2.5 atoms of available brain-space for the additional things those internal communicators want me to worry about.  And yet they keep sending me slide decks with 78 slides in them...  And accompanying notes...

Those slide sets include LOTS of information about how this new initiative came about.  What the structure was to create it.  How we plan to implement it.  What the difficulty is in rolling this out...

And maybe a bit about how it might affect people.  But probably not.  Certainly nothing easily or obviously applicable to me.

And I want to know:

"Why should I care?" 

"What do I need to do differently?"

"What slide is THAT on?!"

People want to know what is in it for them.  Make it simple.  Don't tell me your entire thesis.  Don't show me how you did your homework.  Think it through and tell me exactly what I need to know, when and how.  And then, frankly... if you wouldn't mind... shut up.

To update one of those old business maxims: your inability to prepare a simple, coherent piece of communication does not make your issue my problem.

Thanks.

I feel better now.

/df