Repeat Yourself To Be Heard

Too often, we think we’ve delivered the message and hear something like to “I didn’t know that” or “Huh, why didn't you tell me before?” even when we know the person was in the room or on the email. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: One and done isn’t enough. We need to be disciplined about repeating ourselves so that the people on our teams, families, and groups get the messages we want to deliver.

Seriously, you aren’t really done until someone can finish your sentence.

Everyone is bombarded by thousands of messages daily—in different forms, on different platforms, and from different people. While every message doesn’t hold the same weight, even if you’re the boss, you can’t rely on your message to carry the most weight for your team when you deliver it. If you want to be heard and understood, you need to repeat our message to be heard.

Why?

Repetition Reinforces Memory

We live in a world of constant distractions. Amidst all this noise, it’s incredibly challenging for any one message to stick—no matter who delivers. Repeating yourself gives your message a fighting chance to break through the clutter. Repetition reinforces the information, helping people remember it longer.

We didn’t learn how to count to 10 by hearing it once. (Sesame Street's Count is counting in my head.) Repetition helped cement it in our brains oh so long ago, and the same principle applies when we’re trying to convey an important point now. Don’t count on one time to make your message stick.

Repetition Builds Credibility

Messages heard consistently over time are more powerful. When you repeat a message, you signal its importance and credibility. In a world of skepticism toward new information, repetition builds trust. If you’re a leader who consistently talks about the importance of collaboration, your team will believe it’s a core value. If you’re a manager reminding your staff about upcoming changes, regular reminders reinforce that this isn’t just a passing thought—it’s a genuine, committed initiative.

Consistent repetition doesn’t just deliver information; it underscores commitment. When people hear the same goals, values, or upcoming changes repeated over time, they are more likely to believe that you mean what you’re saying. Repetition drives stability and trust.

Repetition Clarifies

Repetition doesn’t mean you say the same sentence over and over verbatim; it’s about reiterating the core message in varied and creative ways. Each repetition allows you to clarify your meaning, address potential misunderstandings, and bring new perspectives on the same idea.

When you rephrase, give examples, or approach the topic from different angles, you’re making the message more straightforward and ensuring it reaches a broader audience. Different people may need different framing for a message to resonate with them, so repetition increases the likelihood that everyone grasps your point. Repetition is required to ensure you deliver your message to the people who need to hear it so that they can act on it. If you’re reinforcing your vision, delivering information on new policies or projects, or rallying your team around an initiative or cause, you need to repeat yourself. Over time, in a variety of ways, regularly.

 1-5-10 Rule

Use the 1 - 5 - 10 rule to bring structure to repeating yourself.

First Delivery: Tell people what you want or need them to know - clearly outline the information.

+ 1 Day: Remind people the next day, “As we discussed yesterday, ….” Provide more context or an example to help people understand it.

+5 Days: Keep your message top-of-mind (ok, in the zone) so that people do what you need them to do on time.

+10 Days: A 10-day reminder is a great recap so that you can catch any laggards who missed the message and reinforce it for those who did hear it. Maybe they’ll finish your sentence for you.

You need to repeat yourself to be heard (see what I did there?)