Avoid Tmi

There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. John 16:12

You have probably heard someone say during a conversation, “Oh, that’s TMI.”

It stands for “too much information” and is typically used when someone begins to share more details of a situation than anyone really wants to know.

“No need to describe the toe fungus, Bob. We get the picture.”

We need a TMI alert buzzer for organizational communication. Too many leaders bury their staff and customers under superfluous detail that is unnecessary and overwhelming.

I’ve heard this referred to as the “fire hose syndrome.” Someone asks for a glass of water, and they get drowned in a flood.

Jesus knew that his followers could only grasp so much at once, so he portioned out essential information at appropriate times.

If you blast folks with too much, they will have difficulty focusing on what really matters.

If people seem not to understand, perhaps you should give them less rather than more.