Sorting and Labelling
Sorting and Labelling is a simple yet powerful communication technique that anyone can learn in a minute and that then takes quite a while to master. Someone applying it will give a high-level overview of the points they want to make, give each of them a headline (or label), and then go through them one by one, ideally providing segues in between. The approach can (and should) be applied at multiple levels.
Some people (like me) have the tendency to go off on a tangent in discussions, making several points instead of the one or two they intended to make that would have sufficed to advance the discussion. This can be a consequence of lack of clarity in thinking, and making up one’s mind as one speaks.
Consciously applying sorting and labelling helps to structure the thinking before speaking. As mentioned, it takes practice and time to master, but shows first benefits quite soon.
Tags: work