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Simplify Language
Make every minute meaningful
I love providing training and coaching on how to lead dynamic and effective presentations. A lot of people have great content, but they miss opportunities to make that content stick if they don't frequently engage the audience and make every minute meaningful. Here are 4 actionable ideas to begin a presentation: - Start on time and engage people who arrive early , but don't say anything you'll need to repeat for latecomers. Avoid long or boring introductions. - Address
Lee Shainis
Jan 241 min read
It's all about balance
When I edit writing, I typically remove 30-70% of text because it doesn't impact details, accessibility, or tone. That includes when I edit my own writing! A lot of text reduction is easy, especially as you learn and practice the skills more. But sometimes we need to make difficult choices about what to include or omit, and which words to use. We need to find balance between: Too much detail and not enough detail. Providing too much detail is a more common problem. Clari
Lee Shainis
Jan 201 min read
How simplifying impacts our personal life
People who attend my training always see how this can impact their work. Many have also said it's improved their communication with family and friends! When I talk to my young sons, I need to keep my main message brief. If I give a long lecture, my main messages are lost or confusing. If I talk to my 11-year-old about honesty, maybe my main messages are: 1. Being honest is hard and takes practice. 2. Being honest will make your entire life better. 3. I want you to feel c
Lee Shainis
Nov 14, 20251 min read
Transparency builds trust
I saw a letter from a school superintendent that said, "I visited a number of schools last week." How would you interpret that? 5 schools? 10? I assumed they visited 2 schools and were hoping I would assume they visited more. If building trust is a priority, everyone receiving your message should interpret it the same. When your subject header is "Deadline Approaching Fast!", some people may not read the full message. For some people, "fast" or "soon" means today or tomo
Lee Shainis
Oct 28, 20251 min read
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