There is a long-standing marketing Rule of 7 which states that people need to hear your message seven times before they will remember it. The adage originated with television advertising — no doubt to encourage the frequency of ads — but it’s a good principle in many other settings.
As a leader, you may share a vision or outline change efforts with your team. When you first share your message, people are trying to ascertain what you mean and specifically what it means for them. By repeating your message in multiple ways, it helps others to absorb your intent and understand the implications. You don’t have to use the exact same words or vehicle for sharing it, but repeating the message over and over is beneficial for everyone.
Too often, leaders opt for one-and-done — sending an email, addressing something in a meeting, or giving a speech — and expecting that to suffice. Whether seven is the lucky number or not, the concept holds true that sharing something important in multiple ways should be your goal. “I told them,” is a lame answer if you only told them once.
