A sad truth about communication at work: Having an important message doesn’t mean people will listen.
Important updates, great ideas, and even urgent warnings can all go ignored—if your audience doesn’t see why it matters to them.
So how can you improve the odds that people will pay attention?
Some advice says to tell a compelling story or use techniques from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). And sure, storytelling can be incredibly powerful—in the right moments.
But for most day-to-day workplace interactions, storytelling and psychological techniques are more effort than they’re worth.
What we need is a simple, repeatable way to make our messages relevant—so relevant they can’t be ignored. The good news is there is a way, and it revolves around a single word:
👉 IMPACT
When something has an impact on us, we pay attention. The bigger the impact, the more attention it gets.
Take this example:
If you received a letter from your internet provider saying:“We’re upgrading cable lines in your area.” You’d probably skim it, then toss it.
But what if the message said:
“Your internet will be down for 24 hours next Monday.” Now that gets your attention.
Why?
Because it clearly affects you. There’s a consequence. An impact.
In journalism, this is called “Don’t bury the lead.”
In everyday work communication, it’s the same rule: Put the most impactful part up front.
Here are some examples of leading with impact:
- “I have an idea to increase profit this quarter.”
- “The project you’re sponsoring is going to be delayed.”
- “Our new policy might reduce customer satisfaction.”
- “The software build will cost more than planned.”
Each one gets attention—if the audience cares about the impact.
That’s the secret: match the message to what matters to them.
When you start with impact, people are far more likely to listen. Then, once you’ve got their attention, you can explain the what, why, and how.
🔑 Key takeaway:
Lead with the impact—especially the part that affects your audience most.
Do that, and your everyday messages will start getting the attention they deserve.
