The Razor Six That Cuts Through Noise And Makes Your Words Stick

You know that moment when someone drops a tough question and all eyes land on you?

No prep.

No notes.

No time.

Just you, the spotlight, and a crowd staring.

And waiting.

If you choke, it’s not because you suck at speaking. (Probably.)

It’s because you tried to wing it when you should have wielded craft.

Here’s a framework I picked up from Simon Lancaster that keeps you cool when the clock is ticking.

It’s simple.

It’s sharp.

It works when you’ve got sixty seconds to make it stick.

I call it The Razor Six. 

Let’s cut.

1. Start with Three Breathless Short Sentences

They hit hard. 

They stir instinct. 

They grab attention.

They scream danger without you raising your voice.

And when you’ve hooked them like this, you move to…

2. Repetition

Say it once, it’s a point.

Say it twice, it’s remembered.

Say it three times and it’s believed.

Repetition proves you mean it.

It shows passion.

It shows conviction.

Three is the rhythm of trust.

Anything less feels flat, anything more feels fake.

Now you’ve got them agreeing with you in their heads, it’s time to show you’re not some ranting maniac…

3. Balance

This makes your ideas sound sane even when they’re bold.

Not chaos, but control.

Not luck, but skill.

Not noise, but music.

Balance earns trust, and once they trust you, you can spark their imagination with…

4. Metaphor 

Throw a spark into dry grass.

It catches fast.

Let it flare before they even know what’s burning.

And then turn up the heat.…

5. Exaggeration

The biggest deal.

The best thing ever. 

It knocks them back harder than they expect.

Every time.

6. And then end with brevity

Finish short. 

Finish sharp.

Boom.

Done.

So, let’s try out this sequence, making a case for something that no one can possibly disagree with … the joy of nuts: Cashews. Pistachios. Hazelnuts. Nuts are great sprinkled on thick chocolate desserts. Nuts are great by the fire at Christmas. Nuts are great to snack on during a good film. It’s not just the taste I love, it’s the whole experience… They’re orgasmic! It sends shivers from my head to my toes. So don’t go nuts, eat nuts. The case against nuts:  Full of oil. High in fat. Laced with salt. Nuts are terrible for our health. Nuts are terrible for the NHS. Nuts are terrible for society. They look small, but their impact is huge. Silent killers lurking in society’s shadows. We start thinking we’ll just have one, then we say just one more… Before we know it, we are stuffing our face full and we can’t stop. Just say no. This formula clearly works on trivial issues such as nuts – now let’s try it on a bigger issue: something that really matters, such as climate change.  Let’s start by making a call for the world to act: Flooding in London. Droughts in Africa. Freak snowstorms in New York. Yet still there are some people saying there is no such thing as climate change. Still there are some people trying to discredit the scientists who are working so hard to combat this. Still there are some people preaching business as usual. Climate change is not some distant threat, it is here. We can’t bury our heads in the sand anymore. This is the biggest threat facing humanity. If we don’t fight it, no one will. There has never been a better time to act. Let’s go for it! Okay. Now, let’s switch it around and try the opposite tack:  New green taxes. Innovative markets in carbon. Massive investment in renewables. The whole planet agrees that climate change is happening. The whole planet accepts that climate change has been caused by man. And the whole planet is now pulling together to tackle this issue. Instead of criticizing and carping about what hasn’t been done, we should pull together and praise the progress that has been achieved. We know there’s still a long way to go. But if we push too hard, too fast, there’s a danger the global consensus will shatter. Then it’s game over. - Winning Minds by Simon Lancaster

This framework doesn’t just work for playful topics like nuts or climate change.

It can sharpen real debates.

Here’s how The Razor Six plays out in something close to the bone.

You can take an issue that splits people — like whether young people should leave Slovakia or stay — and give you a clear, memorable case.

Here’s how it sounds in practice.

Say you’re defending leaving Slovakia…

It’s stuck. It’s small. It’s shrinking. 

And you’ve got dreams. Dreams that need space. Dreams that need speed. Dreams that need fire.

You’re not leaving home, you’re facing the world. Not betraying roots, but growing new branches. Not running away, but running ahead.

Slovakia is a pond. The world is the ocean. So dive.

Best move you’ll ever make. It’ll change your life forever.

Go big. Go bold and claim your gold.

Now flip the frame.

Same tool, opposite case.

That’s the power of Razor Six, arming you to win either side of the argument.

Say you’re arguing to stay in Slovakia…

It’s home. It’s yours. And it’s waiting.

They say go. Go where it’s bigger. Go where it’s faster. Go where it’s brighter.

But out there, you’re a stranger. A name in a file. A face in the crowd.

We’re not huge, but hungry. Not rich, but resourceful. Not perfect, but proud.

Slovakia is a canvas. Blank. Bold. Begging for your colours and courage. 

Don’t watch the future from afar. Don’t watch it slip through your hands. Don’t watch someone else claim it.

Stay here. Make it clear.

Words don’t win by accident.

They win when they’re shaped with intent.

Behind every sharp line lies ruthless craft.

That’s why The Razor Six matters.

It hones raw ideas into clear conviction.

Luck runs out.

Magic fades.

Craft stays.

So don’t wing it.

Wield it.

PS. If you don’t know jewellery, know your jeweller. That’s Buffett’s rule. It’s the same with messaging. Smart ideas die in boring words. If you don’t know the game, find a partner who does, because your reputation is on the line. I help thinkers, rebels, and disruptors say what they mean and make it stick.  Step up. Bring your message. I’ll bring the punch. You’ve got one shot to say it right. I’ll help you take it.