Page 81 - Think Like a Champion

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DONALD J. TRUMP
mood for a presentation, so I thought he might decline, which
would free up my day a bit. Not only did he not decline, he gave
me such a great presentation within those three minutes that we
did a deal together. It’s surprising what people can do with
a deadline.
I mention that because sometimes we have to give ourselves
deadlines. Practice giving your presentation in under five minutes.
Practice giving your introduction in less than three minutes. You
will discover that you can be an effective editor by cutting out
everything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Your audience, or your
superiors, will be grateful for your ability to distill the essence
for them.
We probably all know what it’s like to receive junk mail. Some-
times there are piles of it waiting for us, and we have to sort
through it all to get to the important stuff. Don’t offer any junk
mail to anyone—just give them the good stuff, or the necessary
items. That can get you places far faster than you can imagine.
In that sense, business is often like a relay race. To have a tight
team, a winning team, you can’t have someone who lags behind,
because everyone will suffer because of it. Make sure you’re not
the one who holds things up for everyone. Learn to sprint when
it comes to being clear. Have a contest with yourself by asking,
“How concise can I possibly be?”Then best yourself every time.
Get to the essence immediately.
Someone who analyzed my negotiating technique said I had
an advantage over most people because I had the ability to get to
the point faster than anybody else.While they were still formulat-
ing their sentences, I’d already written the book. I already had the
deal done in my head. That ability didn’t happen overnight—I’ve
worked at it for a long time. But we can all put that technique to
work every day, whether it’s relaying a message to someone, writ-
ing a letter, or ordering lunch.

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