‘Need to Know’ or ‘Nice to Know’?
Posted by nathan on 07 Jun 2007 | Tagged as: Communications
There is literally a ton of information available today. Tons.
The thing is, when you try to give me tons of info, i don’t pay attention to any of it. When you have a bunch of things you want me to know, if i don’t want to hear them all, i don’t really get any of it.
There are two fundamental groupings of information: Need to Know and Nice to Know.
examples of Need to Know:
There is a python loose in the atrium. Please exit via the back door only.
The building is on fire. Please exit now.
examples of Nice to Know:
The python is green and gray. He got loose when he ate his owner. But don’t worry, he doesn’t have a history of eating people.
The fire department is on its way. They are a good fire department.
See the difference? The Nice to Know is all fluff…it doesn’t really matter if the python is green or blue or red–i’m out the back door! if the building is on fire, i could care less if the fire department is on its way–i want out!
By cutting out all the information which is nice to know, but not vital, people actually get your message. Where the snake is, you don’t want to be. But who really cares what color it is? i don’t want to be near it, nor in a burning building, regardless of who is coming to put it out.
Cut the fluff for increased effectiveness in your communication.
5 Comments »
on 08 Jun 2007 at 8:28 am 1.
Todd Helmkamp said …
Good points, but I would mention that communication is more than just disseminating information, its a relational process.
on 08 Jun 2007 at 8:40 am 2.
nathan said …
Yes, that is my point.
I am sorry if i seemed to mean cutting the fluff = good communication.
What i meant was cutting the fluff = better effectiveness in your communication.
it’s just one step in the multi-faceted process of communication.
on 08 Jun 2007 at 9:10 am 3.
Todd Helmkamp said …
But sometimes, the “fluff” is what makes communication worthwhile. For example, my wife may say to me “I am going to the grocery store.” That’s short, sweet, and to the point. However, if she added the fluff “I love you” to the end of it, it means a lot more to me.
on 08 Jun 2007 at 9:22 am 4.
nathan said …
Oh…yeah, gotcha.
I was also talking in a professional sense.
If your boss said, ‘Todd, I am going to get a doughnut. I’ll bring you back one. I love you.’
It would be pretty odd…
a personal relationship is much, much different.
on 08 Jun 2007 at 11:21 am 5.
Todd Helmkamp said …
Ha ha! It depends on the boss…..if it was my current boss Brett, I would know he meant agape love, not eros.