Tension
Most people repeat themselves to be taken seriously. They reword, follow up, hint, remind. Not because the message wasn’t clear—but because they don’t trust it landed. In systems where people are used to being ignored, misunderstood, or delayed, repetition becomes survival. But it’s also erosion. Say it twice, and you’ve already weakened it.
Principle
One signal is enough. If it was clear, you don’t say it again. If it wasn’t heard, you don’t chase it. The strength isn’t in forcing the message. It’s in delivering it clean—and being ready to act whether or not it was received.
Application
Hold your signal. Let the system decide what to do with it:
State it once. Exactly.
No build-up, no softness, no performance. Say the thing. Clearly.
Don’t explain the timing.
If it was said now, it was time. If they weren’t ready, that’s theirs to carry.
No reminders.
If the task mattered, it was logged. If not, it wasn’t yours.
No corrections.
Don’t polish the message after delivery. The first version is the only one that counts.
No check-ins.
The follow-up is action. Not a question.
Limit / Cost
Some will miss it. Some will pretend they didn’t hear. That’s not your loop to manage. Repeating yourself won’t make it land. It will only signal you didn’t believe it the first time.