First things first.
Do you know what that even means? If no, hang on a sec., I'll get there soon. If yes, how'd that go for you?
Have you suffered the shame of seeing it land bold-faced in your work inbox?
Or.....do you dole it out from time to time, barely suppressing a grin or grimace - depending on your mood?
I remember the first time I heard the acronym. I was leading a communication workshop a few months ago and one of the participants lamented the fact that she had received this terse acronym as a reply to her well thought out email. I thought to myself....TLDNR...what the hell is that??? Out loud, I unwrinkled my brow and asked if she could explain the acronym to me cause I'd never heard it before (and trust me - I hear more than my fair share of acronyms in my line of work) She groaned and replied, "Oh the shame of it.....it's internet slang for Too Long Did Not Read. "
Too Long Did Not Read. OMG.
As the meaning of her words sank in, we both started to laugh. Me somewhat nervously, her with a glint in her eye. She went on to say that was the first and last time she intended to receive a TLDNR. Instead of defensively slamming the acronym hurler as rude, she admitted that she used to find it hard to speak or write concisely and compellingly. But not anymore.
She said she has embraced the Less is More philosophy and applied it to all aspects of her written and verbal communication. Turns out receiving that acronym was the best thing that could have happened to inspire her to communicate better. A bit of bitter medicine, if you will. She is no longer that lady who writes exhaustively. She's the lady who conveys so much in such little space. Nice!
Is it OK to toss this grenade-like acronym? I really can't say. I know what works for me and I also know it may be different for you, and that's OK. People have a way of remembering the words we use, sometimes better than we do ourselves! Our words present who we are and influence peoples' perceptions of us. Here's my advice: choose words that line up with who you are and what you want to be known for.
Which acronym or word strikes the same chord for you?
