You say it 7 times, they remember it once
People need to be reminded more than they need to be taught
Hey System Thinker,
Do you feel like people forget what you ask them—easily?
Have you ever repeated yourself to your team?
Do you feel like a broken record?
A decade of software development, team leadership, and people management has taught me this: broken records can support symphonies.
In the last edition, I made the case for seeking boredom. What could be more boring than repeating yourself? Hopefully, since last week, you’ve been embracing boring moments and doubling down on them.
Today, I want to share a secret:
People need to be reminded more than they need to be taught
How much would a reliable team be worth to you?
Most leaders and managers fail with big teams because they don’t repeat themselves enough. That’s why I created the Broken Record Formula—a simple two-step method to make your message stick:
Tell it once
Repeat it 6 more times
Let’s break it down:
Step 1 — Tell it once
Define what you want them to do.
First, clarify it in your own mind. Be crystal clear about your message and eliminate ambiguity:
What do you want them to do?
Why is it important?
When you need it done by?
Make sure there’s no room for misunderstanding.
Step 2 — Repeat it 6 more times
Open your calendar and create six follow-up events:
One for the same day
One per day for the next three days
One every other day after that
At each check-in, repeat your clear message—what you want them to do and why it’s important—exactly as you did the first time.
By the end of these check-ins, your message will be crystal clear in their minds.
Why it works
The first three times, they weren’t paying full attention.
In our era of constant distraction, people need time to integrate your message into the narrative they’re telling themselves. By the sixth time, their pattern-recognition kicks in—“This must be important!” By the seventh, the message sticks.
I use this method all the time, and no one’s ever noticed—but they have remembered.
Let me know if you found this useful!
Cheers,
Thiago V Ricieri
System Thinker @ Systematic Success
Engineering Manager, Apps @ Pluto TV / Paramount Global
Digital Nomad @ Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, GitHub, TwitterX, Website
PS... I started Systematic Success to share the secrets I’ve accumulated over the past decade—leading teams, working remotely, and building proven systems. If you found value in this edition, consider sharing it with a friend. And feel free to reach out with any questions about creating leverage, running independent teams, or building systems—I’d love to help!
PSS… Read the first edition here and learn why success is supposed to be boring.