Signal versus Noise

I tend to shut down if people talk too much at me. I am sure it's a form of audio processing overload. In short, I don’t listen very well. Ironic when you consider what I do for a living!

Because of this low tolerance for unnecessary chatter, I have to listen very hard for what is the signal and separate it from the noise. It's like the difference between efficient and effective. An efficient person captures everything in a meeting and effective person captures the things that matter. You can listen to the noise or you can listen to the signal.

Signal is where the productivity and communication boost kick in. Leaders have to be deaf to the noise and tuned into the signal.

• Noise is when a team member is asking for help on a certain task. Signal is that they want to be paid more.
• Noise is most of the comments on twitter or facebook. Signal is following an intelligent micro blogger who references interesting stuff in their tweets.
• Noise is complaining that you get 100 emails a day. Signal is focussing on the 20 that require a response and deleting, delegating or deferring the rest.

Noise is often the words...signal is often the better unsaid message in the words.

Eliminate the noise and track the signal.