I’ve been experiencing cognitive overload recently.
In simple terms, it happens when the brain is overwhelmed with information and in the context of learning, I’ve found myself on the receiving end of it during this past month. To deliver some work for a client, I have been asked to learn, understand, synthesise, and then translate content which I have not created, but need to deliver.
Oh my.
As I reviewed the material, I experienced all sorts of anxiety. There was way too much information, so my attention started to wander. There were far too many concepts, so it was hard to distinguish the threads of connection and purpose of understanding it all. There were way too many builds, so I quickly realised that each slide was going to be a long slog. There were too many bullets, which meant that the density of each point weighed heavily on my mind and finally, there was just far too much complexity.
So what?
Yet again I’m drawn to how this experience relates to the way in which we need to influence, persuade, and engage others in our professional lives. For the audience, it needs to feel relevant, straightforward, clear, ‘risk free’, light on the head, the heart, and the hands.
Our challenge with communication as leaders is to come out of the density, provide the clarity and know when to stop.
That’s my cue.
Until next time….
