Say it again for the people in the back

Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be out on Wednesday?

How did this happen? I had no idea this was a risk when we got started.

What are we even doing here? What do we care about at this organization?

Any of these sound familiar? How about the “at home” versions?

I have always had an aversion to repeating myself – it feels redundant and somewhat offensive to both the receiver of the message and to myself.

If my words were important to the recipient, they would remember them, right?

If I say it again, the person is definitely going to be offended, right?

Sometimes when we are frustrated that our message hasn’t been heard, we use a snarky comment like “say it again for the people in the back.” Turns out that comment is part snark, part science.

There are lots of reasons our messages don’t resonate: sometimes it is lack of clarity, ambiguous language, too many words, or too few words. And sometimes it’s that we don’t repeat it often enough!

The 5 to 7 rule in memory retention

A wide variety of research suggests that we need to see information between five to seven times for it to transition from short-term to long-term memory. The research stems from advertising and educational psychology, yet it’s not a very hard and fast rule; it can vary per topic and person based on their interest, associations, and emotional state.

So it’s not offensive when your message doesn’t stick, it’s science!

Repetition enhances memory in the following ways:

• Every time we see information, our brain strengthens the neural pathway connected to that data. More exposure means a stronger pathway.
• Repetition over time creates effectiveness. There needs to be an interval between the exposures to allow our brain to refresh and reinforce the memory.
• Engagement with the information increases effectiveness as well. Your message should provoke, stand out, and be noticeable, and should ask the recipient to interact with it..
• If your message can be connected to an emotional experience, the better the information is remembered.

Why does it matter?

Last week, one of my clients was sharing a current challenge. Her boss had changed the requirements of a major project, and that change had caused some risks. My client raised her concerns, and her boss asked her to push forward anyway. My client is worried that her boss won’t remember that she raised the risks early on. How could my client use the 5 to 7 rule as she continues to manage the project? She can plan for at least 4 additional times throughout the project where she is going to name the risks as she provides a status update. Two near the beginning, two during the project itself, and one at the end. What she’s not going to do? Hope for the best and say “Well, I told you this might happen!”

I have two new interns who started to work with me last week. (The former teacher in me is SO excited!) They are brand new to my work and the working world in general. As I navigate these next two months with them, I am going to try to remember the 5 to 7 rule in everything we do.

I’m actually thinking I could probably apply this data to my communication at home, too. 😉

Where might you practice the 5 to 7 rule?