Cutting Through the Noise: How to Make Your Message Stand Out

Picture this: You're in a noisy bar, straining to catch every other word from the person across the table. You nod along, laugh when they laugh, and furrow your brow when they look serious. But deep down, you're only catching bits and pieces, trying to piece together the conversation with visual cues and intuition.

Now imagine you’re the one telling an amazing story with lots of important details. You, of course, know every word you’re saying. And they certainly get it, right? You’re getting all the right signals. They look serious at the right moments and chuckle at your jokes. 

But are they really getting it?

In the workplace, the "noise" isn’t always literal, but it can be just as disruptive. Whether it's open laptops during meetings, or the countless distractions on a Zoom call, this noise negatively impacts your communication and inhibits your ability to execute effectively. 

Sometimes the noise is obvious. Are those people with laptops open really taking notes, or are they “multitasking”? Countless studies show multitasking doesn’t work—it’s just rapid context switching.

But not all noise is so clear. Personal issues, other work projects, and even the act of note-taking can pull attention away. Have you ever missed something important because you were still finishing a note from the previous point?

And then there's the noise from a lack of familiarity. Are you using jargon or industry-specific terms that your audience won’t instantly understand? If so, they might miss your main point while trying to decode your words.

So, how do you cut through the noise? As tempting as it might be to create rules against distractions, that’s not realistic. Worse, it shifts the responsibility away from where it belongs—on us, as communicators.

Imagine that noisy bar was the only place you could communicate with your team. How would you craft your message to ensure it cuts through the noise?

 Four Steps to Clearer Communication

1.        Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

This is tough, I know. Your topic is complex, and details matter. But remember, you know it far better than your audience. Distill it down to its core and use the simplest language possible. Bring them along for the ride. Use the Rule of Three. Where appropriate, use visuals—after all, a picture is worth a thousand words.|

2.        Start at the end.
It’s tempting to think you need to take people on the same journey you went through to reach your conclusion. But we’re not writing a suspense novel. If you start at the beginning, you’ll lose them. They’ll be jumping ahead, trying to figure out where you’re going. Instead, hook them with your conclusion first. Then, you can fill in some details, but keep it interesting and focused.

3.        Be relevant.
It’s not about what you want to say. It’s about what they need to hear. Make sure the “why this matters to you” is clear as day. As Adam Smith, the father of economics, said, “It is not the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” Get your audience to lean in when you show them – simply – why they should care.

4.        Repeat and summarize.
Don’t wait for them to ask you to repeat yourself. Do it for them! Immediately, and again later, ideally in a different form. Research shows we need repetition to truly take in key messages.

Now, with these strategies in hand, you’re ready to cut through the noise in any setting—bar or boardroom. Cheers to clearer communication!

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This post is an excerpt from my upcoming book, a practical handbook for executing strategy from an operator’s point of view. Drawing on decades of real-world experience, it’s designed to help leaders turn strategy into action through clear, actionable steps. Stay tuned for more insights and updates as we get closer to launch!