When my partner looks at me in a meeting…… well! But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The smart young project manager is explaining the details of where his team stands on the latest project. His manager looks at his phone and then looks back at the project manager. There is a disconnect. Smart young thing believes that it is important to explain the ABC and DEF of his project all the way through to Z. Old hand wants highlights only – A and Z.
A team member is asked a question. He is so busy explaining the context around what has been asked that he forgets the question. Other team members shift in their chairs and look bored.
We’ve all been there. Fallen in love with the detail of what we are doing and believe that everyone will love the detail in the same way we do. Or just rambled on, painting a picture when our audience simply needs a rough backdrop.
In both cases, our audience is thinking, “What’s your point?”
Know that when people look at you at work, they too are often thinking. “What’s your point?”
And when my partner looks at me in a meeting? You guessed right. She is defintely thinking the same thing.
So, whether note to myself or note to yourself.
Answer the question. And make a point.
