Sign up to access an inspiration library of 30,000+ posts
Beth Saunders's Recent LinkedIn Posts
Beth Saunders
@saundersbeth
Senior Community Manager at Amplitude | Data & Analytics | Growth Marketing | Community Engagement
Posts
Beth Saunders
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Two days, multiple pages of notes, and a few uncomfortable realizations about my own communication habits...
I'm wrapping up my week with Wes Kao's "Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers" course from Maven.
What an incredible course!
A few things that really stuck with me:
➡️ Lead with the point, not the backstory. The "Bottom Line Up Front" (BLUF) principle was a recurring theme. Your reader or listener shouldn't have to wait to understand what you need. Main point first, context below.
➡️ 90% of your communication should be about your recipient, not you. Frame everything around their priorities, their concerns, their cognitive load. If you're writing a note and most of it is about yourself, flip the lens.
➡️ Share your logic, not just your recommendation. Adding "because" to your ask or proposal does more work than you think. People are more likely to buy in when they understand your reasoning, not just your conclusion.
➡️ Anticipate the objection before it's raised. Proactively addressing your most obvious objection (the "MOO") in your initial pitch reduces back-and-forth and builds credibility.
➡️ Speed is a spectrum, not a binary. A small amount of upfront prep before key conversations saves you far more time than the back-and-forth and course correction that happens without it. Invest 30 seconds, save 30 minutes.
➡️ Personal takeaway for me: I overshare...a lot 😅 Adding unnecessary context creates cognitive load for the reader. Not every detail is needed.
Also, match your altitude to your audience. Executives need the high-level view. ICs in the weeds need the detail. Knowing which room you're in and adjusting accordingly is a skill worth practicing.
If you want to sharpen how you communicate up and across, this course is worth your time!
64
Beth Saunders
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Two days, multiple pages of notes, and a few uncomfortable realizations about my own communication habits...
I'm wrapping up my week with Wes Kao's "Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers" course from Maven.
What an incredible course!
A few things that really stuck with me:
➡️ Lead with the point, not the backstory. The "Bottom Line Up Front" (BLUF) principle was a recurring theme. Your reader or listener shouldn't have to wait to understand what you need. Main point first, context below.
➡️ 90% of your communication should be about your recipient, not you. Frame everything around their priorities, their concerns, their cognitive load. If you're writing a note and most of it is about yourself, flip the lens.
➡️ Share your logic, not just your recommendation. Adding "because" to your ask or proposal does more work than you think. People are more likely to buy in when they understand your reasoning, not just your conclusion.
➡️ Anticipate the objection before it's raised. Proactively addressing your most obvious objection (the "MOO") in your initial pitch reduces back-and-forth and builds credibility.
➡️ Speed is a spectrum, not a binary. A small amount of upfront prep before key conversations saves you far more time than the back-and-forth and course correction that happens without it. Invest 30 seconds, save 30 minutes.
➡️ Personal takeaway for me: I overshare...a lot 😅 Adding unnecessary context creates cognitive load for the reader. Not every detail is needed.
Also, match your altitude to your audience. Executives need the high-level view. ICs in the weeds need the detail. Knowing which room you're in and adjusting accordingly is a skill worth practicing.
If you want to sharpen how you communicate up and across, this course is worth your time!
64
Beth Saunders
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Two days, multiple pages of notes, and a few uncomfortable realizations about my own communication habits...
I'm wrapping up my week with Wes Kao's "Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers" course from Maven.
What an incredible course!
A few things that really stuck with me:
➡️ Lead with the point, not the backstory. The "Bottom Line Up Front" (BLUF) principle was a recurring theme. Your reader or listener shouldn't have to wait to understand what you need. Main point first, context below.
➡️ 90% of your communication should be about your recipient, not you. Frame everything around their priorities, their concerns, their cognitive load. If you're writing a note and most of it is about yourself, flip the lens.
➡️ Share your logic, not just your recommendation. Adding "because" to your ask or proposal does more work than you think. People are more likely to buy in when they understand your reasoning, not just your conclusion.
➡️ Anticipate the objection before it's raised. Proactively addressing your most obvious objection (the "MOO") in your initial pitch reduces back-and-forth and builds credibility.
➡️ Speed is a spectrum, not a binary. A small amount of upfront prep before key conversations saves you far more time than the back-and-forth and course correction that happens without it. Invest 30 seconds, save 30 minutes.
➡️ Personal takeaway for me: I overshare...a lot 😅 Adding unnecessary context creates cognitive load for the reader. Not every detail is needed.
Also, match your altitude to your audience. Executives need the high-level view. ICs in the weeds need the detail. Knowing which room you're in and adjusting accordingly is a skill worth practicing.
If you want to sharpen how you communicate up and across, this course is worth your time!
64