024 - Easy Series #3 - Brevity
Welcome to another episode of Strategy Chain. This is Michael Roberson, and together we examine the principles that link strategy in investing, business, entrepreneurship, combat, grappling, and athletics. Today’s episode is the third installment of the Easy Series.
Today’s theme is brevity. This is an especially self-directed episode. I suck at this—but I’m working at it.
Brevity is “easy” because time is expensive. Brevity isn’t easy for you, but it’s easy for your counterparts: customers, investors, students, athletes, colleagues, bosses, partners. Everyone. We need to get to the point if we want people to listen.
Here are some examples:
In Investing
Mohnish Pabrai suggests limiting investment theses to one paragraph. Paul Tudor Jones suggests studying journalism to learn clarity, brevity, and the art of positioning the critical matters first such that readers can stop at any point and take away the most important ideas. See the show notes for a link to his thoughts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e0U-MKV90w
In Business
Brevity is the core of user experience design. Designers obsess over every line and punctuation mark so users get what they want—fast. When was the last time Amazon made you suffer through a tedious experience? Twitter is what’s happening in 140 characters. Instagram is 1,000 words in an instant. For a great example, see the show notes for a link to Ian Spalter’s episode on Abstract: The Art of Design. https://www.netflix.com/title/80057883
In Entrepreneurship
When pitching Venture Capitalists—or anyone really—it’s crucial to get to the point. Explain the market opportunity, the product, the distribution strategy, and the team. Then be ready for a game of 20 questions. Elad Gil mentioned that his favorite pitch meeting was scheduled for 45 minutes but lasted for 10. The founder explained himself, fielded key questions, thanked Elad for the meeting, left, and responded with the answer a few days later. Brief, rapid-iteration testing is a hallmark of both The Lean Startup and Traction.
In Combat
Brevity is critical in combat. Time is the critical resource. Manage it well. Sun Tzu says that no effective campaign can be drawn out. Long, draining campaigns are the enemy of good strategy. In his latest book, The Dragons and the Snakes and in Episode 023, David Kilcullen discusses how Russia uses ultra-quick, ultra-targeted campaigns masterfully. The US did the same thing during the Gulf War. Interestingly, Charlie Munger also praises extreme decisiveness in the face of fleeting opportunity.
In Grappling
Mike Malinconico boils years of training into 90 seconds of dense technique in his Behind the Dirt series and in FloWrestling’s technique library. High-level jiu jitsu players talk about following the tightest path between two points. In the striking arts, the jab and the teep are essential building blocks—and they highlight the connection between small time investments and limited risk.
In Athletics
Master coaches work on jarringly brief cues to instantly communicate technical corrections.
My Resolution
It’s not the New Year, but I resolve to chase brevity. So for the question of the week: where can we trim the fat in our communication?
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