Have you ever walked out of a meeting wondering, “Did anything I just said actually land?”
You’re not alone.
Many leaders—especially those who care deeply about their mission—spend hours crafting messages, writing emails, or preparing presentations, only to feel like their words evaporate into thin air. The problem isn’t effort. It’s focus.
In leadership communication, not everything matters equally. In fact, most of it doesn’t.
That’s where the 80/20 Rule comes in.
What Is the 80/20 Rule?
The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, states that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. Originally observed in economics, it’s now widely applied in productivity, sales, and yes—communication.
John Maxwell puts it this way:
“80 percent of all decisions can be made on 20 percent of the information. What an eye opener! It meant that the best 20 percent of my activities were sixteen times more productive than the remaining 80 percent.”
—John Maxwell, Leadership Gold
When applied to communication, this principle reveals a powerful truth:
Only a small portion of what you say actually moves people.
The Communication Audit: Are You Speaking to the 20%?
Before you can improve your communication, you need to assess it. Not all messages are created equal.
Some spark action. Others create confusion. Some build trust. Others fall flat.
The key is to identify the vital few messages that actually move people—and then double down on them.
Here are three questions to help you identify your 20%:
1. What Gives the Greatest Return?
Not every message you deliver will have the same impact. Some words inspire action, while others simply fill space.
As a leader, your job is to discern which messages consistently lead to clarity, alignment, and momentum—and then prioritize those.
This might mean repeating the same message over and over again—until you feel like a broken record.
And that’s okay. In fact, it’s necessary.
Repetition isn’t redundancy. It’s reinforcement.
If your team isn’t echoing your key messages back to you, they haven’t heard them enough.
The most effective leaders are often the most repetitive communicators—not because they lack creativity, but because they understand the power of consistency.
So ask yourself:
- Which messages consistently lead to action?
- Which ones clarify direction?
- Which ones align people with the mission?
Then say those things. Again and again.
2. What Is Most Rewarding?
Some messages may not drive immediate results, but they build something deeper: culture, connection, and trust. These are the conversations that leave people energized, seen, and inspired.
This is where your language becomes a tool for shaping culture.
Are you using words that reflect the values you want to see? Are you framing challenges in a way that invites ownership and growth? Are you celebrating wins in a way that reinforces what matters most?
Sometimes, the most rewarding messages are the ones that:
- Affirm someone’s contribution.
- Cast vision for what’s possible.
- Invite honest dialogue.
These messages may not show up on a KPI dashboard, but they’re the ones your team will remember. They’re the ones that build loyalty, resilience, and belief.
So ask:
- What conversations leave people better than you found them?
- What words bring out the best in your team?
- How can you adjust your tone, timing, or framing to reinforce the culture you’re trying to create?
3. What Is Required of Me?
There are messages that only you, as the leader, can deliver. These are the hard truths, the vision resets, the course corrections. And they’re often the ones we’re most tempted to avoid.
Why?
Because they’re uncomfortable. They might disappoint someone. They might stir conflict. But they’re also the messages that carry the greatest weight—and the greatest potential for transformation.
As a leader, you are the steward of the mission. That means there are things only you can say:
- The vision that needs to be re-cast.
- The standard that needs to be upheld.
- The truth that needs to be spoken in love.
Avoiding these messages may feel easier in the short term, but it erodes trust and clarity over time.
Your team doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be clear, courageous, and committed to what matters most.
So ask:
- What conversations am I avoiding?
- What truths need to be spoken—even if they’re hard?
- What message would bring the greatest return if I had the courage to say it?
Audit, Align, and Amplify
The 80/20 Rule of Communication isn’t about saying less. It’s about saying what matters more.
Start by auditing your current communication:
- What are you saying?
- How often are you saying it?
- Is it landing?
Then align your message with what gives the greatest return, what is most rewarding, and what is required of you.
Finally, amplify those messages with clarity, consistency, and conviction.
Because when you speak to the 20%, you move the 80%.
Why Most Leaders Communicate Too Much
In the early stages of leadership, it’s tempting to say everything to everyone. You want to be transparent, thorough, and helpful. But over-communication often leads to noise, not clarity.
The same applies to communication.
If you’re saying too much, people stop listening. If you’re saying the wrong things, people get confused.
The Power of Simplification
Great communicators are not those who say the most, but those who say the most important things clearly.
“Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.”
—C.W. Ceran (quoted in Leadership Gold)
Maxwell illustrates this with a story about legendary football coach Vince Lombardi:
“My offensive strategy is simple: When we have the ball, we aim to knock the other team down! My defensive strategy is similar: When the other team has the ball, we aim to knock all of them down!”
It may sound simplistic, but it worked. And it works in communication too.
How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your Communication
Here’s a practical framework to help you focus on what actually moves people:
1. Identify Your Core Messages
- What are the 2–3 messages that define your leadership?
- What do you want your team to remember six months from now?
2. Repeat Relentlessly
- Repetition builds retention. Don’t be afraid to say the same thing in different ways.
- Use stories, metaphors, and visuals to reinforce your core ideas.
3. Cut the Clutter
- Eliminate jargon, filler, and unnecessary detail.
- Ask: “Does this sentence move the listener closer to action or clarity?”
4. Listen for Echoes
- Pay attention to what people repeat back to you.
- If your team isn’t echoing your key messages, they’re not sticking.
5. Audit Your Calendar
- Maxwell warns: “If you don’t take charge of your schedule, others will always be in charge of you.”
- Apply the same principle to your communication. Don’t let others dictate what you talk about. Stay on message.
What Happens When You Focus on the Main Thing
When you apply the 80/20 Rule to your communication, three things happen:
- You gain clarity.
You stop chasing every topic and start owning your message. - You build trust.
People know what you stand for and what to expect from you. - You create movement.
Focused communication leads to focused action.
Say Less, Lead More
Leadership communication isn’t about volume—it’s about precision. When you focus on the few messages that truly matter, you create space for clarity, trust, and action.
The 80/20 Rule reminds us that most of our impact comes from a small portion of what we say.
So instead of trying to cover everything, focus on the essentials.
Say what brings alignment. Say what builds culture. Say what only you can say.
And then—say it again.
Because when your words are focused, your leadership becomes unmistakably clear.