The art of less
In my art classes, we keep returning to one question: how do you make an image that has everything it needs and nothing more?
The same question came up with a client this week.
I was coaching a group of six data specialists and their manager. They wanted their communication to be clearer and more insightful.
We worked through a real example together, and by the end, the manager noticed something: the final version was much shorter and contained almost none of their original draft.
Why?
In his words, they needed to put down their own backpack of stuff and focus on what the decision-maker actually needed.
Here’s what changed. The new version …
- Fit on a single page, written for one specific reader: the manager’s own boss. The team pushed back, but the manager was confident a single page was plenty for his 1-1.
- Explained why the work mattered, not just what the team had been doing. The original was full of detail that fascinated the team but didn’t help the decision-maker decide anything.
- Gave them a foundation to build from. If the recommendation got support, a longer deck or doc could follow — for the people who’d actually need it.
So next time you sit down to prepare a deck or a doc, ask yourself: can I free myself from the mechanics of documentation and focus on the thing that actually matters: the thinking?
More soon,
Davina
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ABOUT AUTHOR: DAVINA STANLEY
Davina helps senior leaders and their teams prepare high-quality papers and presentations in a fraction of the time, nailing the message that engages decision makers fast.
She learned structured thinking at McKinsey in Hong Kong in the 1990s, was approved to teach the Pyramid Principle by Barbara Minto in 2009, and has coached leaders and teams globally for 25+ years. Clients report cutting review cycles by ~30% and prep time by ~20%.*
Recent clients include 7Eleven, KPMG, Mercer, Meta, and Woolworths.
Learn more at www.clarityfirstprogram.com
* Based on 2023 client benchmarking results.
