Want to Be Heard? Get Used to Repeating Yourself

Let’s be real: if you’ve ever said something in a meeting, emailed it out, even had someone nod at you while you said it – and still heard “Wait, what?” a week later – you know the pain of thinking your message landed when it absolutely did not.

And here’s the hard truth: it didn’t.

Not because you didn’t say it clearly or because people weren’t listening — but because you didn’t repeat it enough.

We’re operating in the most distracted world ever created. Your message isn’t competing with just your colleagues’ messages — it’s competing with all messages. Which means if you want to be heard, you need to repeat yourself. Over and over again. And one more time for good measure.

One-and-Done? Not Even Close.

We love to think that one strongly worded message does the trick. We want to believe that the deck was clear enough, the email subject line was punchy enough, or that the Slack message was seen by everyone.

But the harsh reality is that one-and-done doesn’t work. Not even close.

People need to hear a message multiple times before it sticks. Even more times before they believe it. And a few more after that before they act on it.

And to be clear — this isn’t a communication flaw. It’s human nature.

Repetition Isn’t Redundancy. It’s Clarity.

Think back to how you learned the ABCs. Did you sing the song once and nail it? Of course not. You repeated it hundreds — maybe thousands — of times. Repetition builds memory. Repetition works.

It’s the same in the workplace.

If you want your team to absorb a new process, shift a behavior, or rally around a goal, you can’t just say it once. You have to embed it into your culture, conversations, meetings, and materials.

It’s not about being repetitive for the sake of it — it’s about reinforcing meaning in a world that moves way too fast.

Repetition Builds Trust and Credibility

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: the more consistently people hear a message, the more credible it becomes.

Saying something once can feel like a suggestion — and in the workplace, especially coming from leadership, it’s rarely just a suggestion. Saying it again — and again — signals commitment.

When leaders repeat their vision, reinforce the “why,” and align their actions with their words, teams believe them. Repetition, when done well, builds trust. It tells people the message matters — and that you mean what you say.

The Secret? The 1-5-10 Rule.

Here’s a framework we use at Double Forte that makes repetition intentional instead of annoying: the 1-1-5-10 Rule.

• Day 1: Share the message clearly. This is your kickoff – think meetings, presentations, or memos.

• Day 2: Reinforce that message in a new way, whether it’s email, Slack, or a quick verbal follow-up – whatever fits. Add an example or tie it to something current.

• Day 5: Bring it up again. Contextualize it with what’s happened since. Reference progress, updates, or roadblocks,

• Day 10: Recap and resource. Re-state the message briefing, link to materials, and make it easy to revisit.

This may sound like overkill – it’s not. It’s how people remember things. It’s how your team starts to quote you back to yourself. (That’s the dream, right?)

You Don’t Have to Say It the Same Way Every Time

Let’s be clear: repeating yourself doesn’t mean copy-pasting the same sentence five times. It means reinforcing the core idea in different ways.

You can:

• Share a story or example

• Tie the message to a current event

• Ask someone to explain it in their own words

• Use visuals or analogies (I love a prop!)

• Make it a dialogue — not a monologue

Different people process information differently. Some need to hear it. Some need to read it. Others need to see it in action.

Repetition across formats = greater reach.

What Leaders Should Actually Be Doing

Want your message to be heard and remembered? Start here:

• Repeat with purpose. Don’t just echo yourself — emphasize the idea in new ways.

• Build a rhythm. Make the 1-5-10 rule part of your internal communication habits.

Pay attention to what’s being echoed. If your team is repeating the wrong things, you’re reinforcing the wrong message.

Let’s Be Honest

If you’re frustrated that your team “isn’t getting it,” ask yourself:

• Have I repeated the message clearly and consistently?

• Have I framed it in different ways so it actually sticks?

• Have I followed up in writing and in conversation?

If the answer is no, that’s not on them — that’s on us as leaders.

Repetition isn’t optional. It’s necessary.
So say it again. And again.
Until they can finish your sentence.

That’s when your message has finally landed.