1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: tip is that you shouldn't make people guess what a meeting, call, document, 4 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: or email is about. Let them know in as straightforward 5 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: a way as you can. In other words, go ahead 6 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: and spoil the surprise. Today's tip comes from Gretchen Rubin, 7 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: author of The Happiness Project and most recently Life in 8 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: Five Senses. When Gretchen was a guest on my other podcast, 9 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: Best of Both Worlds, she talked about how she chose 10 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: the title for her new book. She explained that for 11 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: a nonfiction book, you don't want a title that makes 12 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: the reader guess what the book is about. It is 13 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: much better to spell it out clearly. That is broadly 14 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: applicable advice in many contexts. It pays to be clear 15 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: about your topic and your purpose. Don't make people guess. 16 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: In general, people don't like guessing. When people know what 17 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: is happening, they can be better prepared, which will make 18 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 1: everything more productive. I am sure you have seen the 19 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,759 Speaker 1: opposite happen. Plenty of times someone calls an important meeting 20 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: but isn't really clear about what needs to be discussed 21 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: or decided. The meeting is given some nebulous title like 22 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: updates or summer Season. People show up at the appointed time, 23 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: but they don't know what they're talking about or what 24 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: they're aiming to accomplish, and because of that, they probably 25 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: haven't done any research or thinking to prepare. The odds 26 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: of that being a productive meeting are low. Email subject 27 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: lines are sometimes similarly vague, question, hiring, initiative, vacation. I 28 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: am probably not the only one who has gotten vague 29 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,919 Speaker 1: voicemail messages saying someone had a quick question or an 30 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: exciting updated and they wanted me to call them back. 31 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: Unless you are writing fiction or directing a suspense movie, 32 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: you probably don't want to leave people guessing about what 33 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: is going to happen, and you don't want to leave 34 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: people guessing about the purpose of a meeting. Call email 35 00:02:54,160 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: or document either. Don't bury the lead, as journalists would say, Instead, 36 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:06,519 Speaker 1: be direct about what is happening and why. This will 37 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: save time for everyone. If a meeting agenda, let's attendees 38 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: know that you will be discussing the performance review process 39 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: with an eye toward improving it. They may review the 40 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: performance review documents from last year and come to the 41 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: meeting with questions and ideas. If your email subject line 42 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: announces that you have sent a draft for the recipient's 43 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: review by five pm the next day, the person knows 44 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: to confirm right away that they can open the document 45 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: and plan some time to review it. If your voicemail 46 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: says you would like to invite the person you've called 47 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: to speak at an event on October sixth, that person 48 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: can check their calendar before calling you back. When we 49 00:03:56,800 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: want suspense, we can go to the mystery section of 50 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: the library. In most day to day communications, it's clarity 51 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: that we're after. By being direct about what you are 52 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 1: doing and what you want to accomplish, you can let 53 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: everyone prepare and waste far least time in the meantime. 54 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 55 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:36,279 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 56 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 57 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 58 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b the number 59 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: four then Breakfast Pod. You can also shoot me an 60 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com That 61 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks 62 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 63 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 64 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 65 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.