A good leader needs to simplify the message. It is most important that as a leader you are understood perfectly, and that you make your message as clear as possible. You will not be able to get others to do what you want and unless your messages is simple and clearly stated. Others will also not pay attention to you if your message is hard to follow and difficult to understand.

Influence is most important to a leader. The most important precept of influence is the ability to capture attention. If you cannot hold the attention of others then it is impossible to manipulate that attention. If a message is boring, because it is too long and too hard to understand, you will not have the kind of attention that you need in order to persuade well. To be a great leader you need to be a master persuader and a master persuader needs to have a strong clear and simple message that will be easily understood by those that need to hear it.

People seem to have far less time now than ever. If you find yourself in front of a meeting or engaging a client, they will be far more receptive to you if you are able to show them that you understand their time constraints. You do this by simplifying your message and showing them in this way that you appreciate their time enough to make what you have to say simple and to the point. If you ever find that your clients are taking time to look at their watches or seem to not be looking away a lot, it is to your great interest to take whatever message you are giving and simplify it even more. Make your message simple and to the point and others will stay engaged to what you have to say, and will dedicate more time to process it.

Part of simplifying the message means making that message interesting. If your message is interesting then it will capture the attention of those that are hearing it. This interest creates a natural desire to want to examine your message and to give it more mental time. You can make your message more interesting by making it quick and fast, you can change up your pitch and tone, and you can articulate your ideas using colorful metaphors. A great way to make your message more interesting is to use the power of reframe; you do this by adding unexpected ideas, points, and personal thoughts. The reframe is really the ability to create and ‘AHA’ moment in the listeners mind. A reframe is really just like a joke; it completely changes how one was perceiving a certain idea. (A cow walks into a bar and says, “Hey, bartender.”)

Simplifying the message means that you want to leave your audience at a high point. Whether you’re giving a speech, addressing clients, or talking to your employees, you want to have a quick and fast message and leave the listener at a point of high energy. Make it quick, fast, and intense therefore. Leave them wanting more and you will be appreciated as a great speaker and commander. If they do have questions, then they can talk to you afterwards and this is a great way to have one-on-one time with those individuals that matter most.

If you can simplify your message and make it exciting, you will greatly improve the kind of persuasive ability that you have. Great leaders need to pursue power, and by simplifying the message, you gain persuasive power. Simplify the message and you will become a powerful and charismatic leader.