48 Laws of Collaboration: Say What is Necessary

Law of Power 4: Always Say Less than Necessary

When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.


Law of Collaboration 4: Say What Needs to Be Said

Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. ~Winston Churchill

Character is not built by creating false images and illusions of insight. It is built by saying the hard things, by pushing into problems. Do not hide from the hard truths. Do not be ambiguous, be specific. Address the problem head on. Trust in your ability to speak the truth.