Some weeks ago, I settled down to begin the online grading of 40+ scripts from executive MBAs at an FT-ranked business school in Africa.

Every year, for almost a decade, I’ve facilitated communication sessions, workshops, and seminars for executives, professionals, entrepreneurs, and leaders at that business school. And I know from experience that specificity is a conduit for influence in business writing.

So, after consoling myself that I was fortunate to grade only 44 scripts at that time  (some executive cohorts have 70+ participants), I tackled the task before me.

The writing assignment I’d set in class appeared deceptively simple. But it was a test of critical reasoning and persuasion. The participants were told to write a cold pitch of 100 words to make a request from a globally recognised business leader.

I graded the scripts, provided corrections, and explained each score. Afterwards, I had a debrief in class, which led to robust discussions. The participants, being executives, challenged opinions and brought their experiences to the classroom. And each time, I challenged them to be more specific by asking about the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of their perspectives. At the end of the double session, they understood the importance of specificity in writing persuasively.

After reflecting on class discussions, I realised that specificity is helpful in business writing and makes you a powerful speaker.

Therefore, I’m sharing two potent reasons you should become more specific in your communication.

1) Specificity amplifies your writing and boosts your credibility

You already know you must consider the three ‘beacons’ of effective communication to get favourable outcomes. So keeping your writing simple, brief, and clear is non-negotiable.

However, specificity further amplifies your writing. By being specific, you signal to the audience that you understand the subject matter but can still differentiate between similar options to arrive at what is exigent.

Let’s say you’re writing a report and need to coax swift action. Below are three options with varying degrees of persuasion. Note specificity in action with the words in italics.

Recommendation A: 

Approve this budget to upgrade our IT system and cut the operating cost by 23 per cent.

This option is ‘safe’ with minimal stakes. No information is given on whether the request is for a new budget or a previous one that wasn’t approved. While this call to action is clear and may eventually be considered, there’s no impetus for urgent action.

Recommendation B:

Approve this emergency budget to upgrade our IT system and cut the operating cost by 23 per cent in Location X.

The words ’emergency budget’ and ‘Location X’ raise the stakes and point to a problem that new funds will solve. This option will pique the interest of the decision-makers. However, it still lacks depth.

Recommendation C:

Approve this emergency budget by 2 p.m. today to upgrade our IT system before the temporary backup expires. The upgrade will also cut the operating cost by 23 per cent in Location X, our top-volume site. Without this supplementary budget, we will not achieve our sales target for the year.

This option heightens the stakes and communicates three crucial points:

• The timeline by which the decision makers should act and the technical fallout if the approval isn’t received

• The highlighted location being a revenue-spinner

• The financial consequence of inaction

Being specific in your writing differentiates you from others. It also informs your audience that while you understand the broad picture, your laser focus ensures the issue is handled with admirable precision.

For the written assignment I gave the executive MBAs, the most persuasive writers who stood out had a common thread:

They were specific about their value and referenced initiatives the business leaders championed. They also explained how their business operations would complement the moguls’ empires.

So, what’s the bottom line about specificity in writing?

When you’re specific, you increase your credibility and trigger swift action.

2) Specificity makes you a compelling speaker

If you’re a parent, you’d have dealt with the incessant whining of an eight-year-old at some point, similar to the scenario below:

Child (poised for battle): ‘Why can’t I do x/play with y/sleep at z/watch paint dry?’ (Because anything is better than bedtime).

You: ‘Because I said so. And I’ve told you a thousand times.’

Child (in an exasperating tone): ‘But why?’

You: ‘Because it’s a school night, and you’ll need to wake up early tomorrow.’

Child: ‘I promise I’ll wake up early. You can set my alarm or wake me up. So, can I do x/play with y/sleep at z/watch paint dry, please?’

You: ‘No. It’s bedtime’.

Child: ‘What if I tidy up my toys? Can I stay up a little longer?’

You: ‘You’re supposed to put away all your toys and arrange them neatly in the box before bedtime anyway. So, no.’

Child: ‘But I promise I’d arrange the toys extra nicely. And I’m asking for only 10 more minutes. Just 10 minutes. Not 30 minutes. Please?’

You: ‘No. It’s bedtime.’

Child: ‘But I’ve been good since I got back from school. I’ve done my homework, read three chapters of that book you gave me, and even had a nap. Why can’t I have 10 more minutes?’

You (patience running very thin): ‘We go through this drama almost every night. Bedtime is at 8. Go to bed’.

Child (stubbornly bracing self): ‘That’s not fair! I’ve been so, so good. Why can’t I have just 10 more minutes?’

If you think you’re a brave parent, you could try answering the why question to the tenth degree before your patience runs out. And sometimes, depending on how mentally and physically exhausted you are, you allow those 10 minutes of grace.

Now, we’ve outgrown such childish behaviour. However, we can still learn two important lessons from determined children who want to have their way.

A) They use specificity to become more persuasive

They articulate what they want and give you (sometimes) valid reasons (e.g., ‘I’ve been good…I’ve done my homework…’) so you could consider their reasonable request (e.g., ‘Just 10 minutes. Not 30 minutes’).

What you should do:

Think about speaking before any audience. Know your point first, then refine it so it’s as specific as possible.

So, don’t just plead that your colleague sends you a report ‘urgently’. Ask for the September to December 2024 quarterly sales report to be emailed by 1 p.m. so you can review it before presenting it to the board by 2 p.m. on behalf of the team.

B) They use specificity to present a compelling argument

They narrow the options to one specific outcome: ’10 minutes’ instead of the vague plea of ‘staying up a little longer’.

What you should do:

Use specificity to drill down your big idea to the crux to become a compelling speaker. Don’t be afraid to get to the granular level.

Whether you’re delivering an address at a convention, giving a conference speech, or delighting your audience with a presentation, ensure you’re specific and that your content is relevant to the audience’s interests.

Then build specificity into your speeches/presentations, where applicable, by addressing one or more of the six components of my recommended Flexible Communications Strategy  in some measure:

• What do I want the audience to know/feel/do? For example, what’s the ‘desired good’?

• Why do I do what I do?  More importantly, why should my audience care? (Ask yourself the foundational question).

• Who will be involved in ensuring the success of the ‘desired good’? Whose input/influence is required?

• How will the necessary actions, strategic and operational (e.g., the knowledge, tools, systems or tech) be deployed to ensure the success of the ‘desired good’?

• When should those actions be initiated and completed? (If the timeline is critical, this point should be communicated as early as possible).

• What if unforeseen circumstances sabotage the ‘desired good’? What’s the backup plan to mitigate the crisis?

Want to move the audience so that there’s little or no resistance to your vision, project, or brilliant initiative?

Build specificity into your communication, and then work on your delivery. You’ll observe the audience nodding as you speak, applauding when you finish, and supporting you.

Conclusion

Specificity doesn’t happen by chance.

You must intentionally infuse its benefits into your writing and speaking to reap its benefits.

Specificity displays your critical thinking, sharpens your pervasiveness, and drives results.

Therefore, the next time you must influence people in your circles and beyond, strip away the extraneous. Prioritise being as specific and as relevant as possible.

You won’t be forgotten.

Over to you:

Do you need help boosting your communication skills to get results? Sign up for my transformational speaking, coaching, and training programmes.

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N.B: First image is courtesy of Gerd Altmann via Pixabay. Second image is courtesy of  Irina L via Pixabay. Last image is courtesy of Steve Buissinne via Pixabay.