You don't have the time to read this.
Which is why we should expect more from the content we consume.
Why you should read this: Making my son read the last issue of Truth In Tension reminded me of how valuable your time is.
Yesterday, my 13-year-old asked me to order him an insanely realistic plastic zombie Halloween mask on Amazon. Just by reflex, I asked him if he'd read the last edition of this newsletter, which he receives via email.
"No, I haven't."
"Okay," I responded. "Read it. Tell me one key point you learned. Then I'll buy your $17 mask."
He did. So I bought it.
What kind of father forces his kid to read work emails about information management? And take a test no less! One who wants to help his kids enter the adult world knowing the news and information challenges they will invariably face? Mea culpa.
You, on the other hand, are different. Against the 1,440 minutes you have each day, what incentive do you have to spend three or four of them with my content? Or any content for that matter? Set aside what you absolutely must consume for your job each day. There's also a lot of garbage out there vying for your attention. A lot of self-promotion, humblebragging and hustle smut, with no accountability and little authenticity. A lot of content is designed for clicks inbound, rather than tangible value you can use "outbound."
Conversation Point 1: Every time I meet someone new in a professional context, I ask them how many news-related emails they receive each morning. After two years of doing this (non-scientific) poll, the average number is 10. How many do you receive? How many do you read end-to-end more than twice a week?
To manage information overload and reduce fatigue, we need to understand not only what it costs to access information - but what it costs to consume it. Your time. Your energy. And the finite amount of mind space any human has to absorb new information.
The short exchange with my son made me realize the time value you give me each time you open this email. My job, then, is straightforward: deliver value equal to or greater than the time value of spending these few minutes on something else important. By the way, this should be the standard for any content you consume.
Here’s my solution: Going forward, at the top of each edition of Truth in Tension, you'll see a sentence explaining Why You Should Read This (a technique used by Axios that readers seem to either love or hate). Within the body of the article, you'll see Conversation Points related to the topic, with questions you can ask colleagues or your team to get the pistons pumping. And at the end, I'll offer a Prediction or Actionable Insight related to the topic. Because if a writer is not willing to stick their repetitional neck out for what they're asking you to read, is it really worth reading?
Conversation Point 2: Information overload adversely impacts important decisions – and can have a paralyzing effect in crisis situations. How did you respond the last time information overload made you or your team feel less confident in your decision making?
I hope you find value in the changes – and the content.
Prediction: The concept of Smart Brevity, currently used by Axios as an article framework, marketing term, and book, will not stand the test of time. Managing information overload isn't always about making something brief (even if it is smarter). Power no longer resides in having access to information (sorry Gordon Gekko). We need tools and processes that enables us to flex to a given situation to achieve information Goldilocks: the best information, delivered at the right time, to the right place, in the right context.
Leigh, appreciate the transparency and the push to make content relevant, informative, and timely. This advice parallels the tailoring of content necessary for email opens and responses. As always, don't bury the lede ;)