Why Math Doesn’t Matter and Communication Is King

TweetI did a speaking engagement with a group of authors today.  It was refreshing to be among a group of people that possess what I believe to be the most critical ability for a micro business owner –  THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.

Communication Is Subjective, Math Is Not

2 + 2 = 4
9 x 9 = 81

It doesn’t matter if you are in India, South Africa or Los Angeles — math is provable.  You cannot tell me that 2 + 2 = 5.  It doesn’t.

However, written articles, oral presentations and video are composed of ideas.  The words chosen to communicate these ideas are chosen by the communicator and are subjective.  You may think that this article is poorly communicated — I may think that it is properly communicated.

We are both right.  It is our opinion and opinion is subjective.

Aside from my obvious abuse of English grammar and the occasional misspelling, you cannot definitively prove that this article is poorly written or that my video or audio is poorly composed.

Communication is subjective.

Communication Is Thus Difficult To Outsource

Don’t get me wrong, communication can be (and is) outsourced.  However, it is much more difficult to outsource a subjective task.

I know this because I handle the communications for several clients.  The difficulty is that in order to truly communicate something valuable (The Golden Rule of Internet Marketing) you must have expertise.  It is difficult to find an outsourced person that can match your level of expertise in your industry.

On the other hand — programming, bookkeeping, financial management, etc are much easier to outsource.  They are definitive.  I can measure definitively that the code that you wrote does not do what it is supposed to, that my books don’t balance or that the value of my investments dropped by X percentage points.

Hone Your Communication Skills As A Business Owner

If you are a business owner, the most valuable skill you can possess is your ability to communicate with your prospects and customers.

Marketing and sales.

Marketing and sales are about communication and without good communication skills, you will struggle.  And you will have a difficult time finding outsourced help to make up for your deficiency.  If you struggle in this area there are plenty of resources available to improve these skills.  Make it a priority–  and know that the success of your tiny business will be tied to your ability to communicate.