BLUF your Way Through Communication

I was talking to someone who talks a lot. I settled in to listen because this is the kind of person who rarely takes a breath and when you do find a chance to get a word in, they run you over with their own words. They usually are not interested in hearing what someone else says.

There was a change in her facial expression. This was not baseline. I realized that she was seeking advice. I switched from passive listening to active listening so I would be able to help.

Had she told me to begin with, I would have been ready to help sooner.

We all do it. We don’t put the ask first. We feel we have to tell a story to hook the listener. When you begin with the story, the listener may not be engaged. They may be thinking about their shopping or the rude driver the encountered on the way to work.

The same is true of emails. Think of all the long emails and other communication where you want the writer to get to the point. The military calls it BLUF or bottom line up front. It’s not anything new. Think about business plans or other reports that start with an executive summary or the abstract in an academic paper. This is the same idea, just more concise. Often one sentence.

She could have said, “I need some advice.”

You might start your email with, “Sales figures are down.” Or, “The project is going from green to amber.” Or, “In order to build better relationships with each other, we will be conducting weekly one on ones.”

The people you are communicating with will thank you.