Speak Clearly and Simply to Help People Understand you

Brief 

Don’t assume everyone understands the meaning of the industry-specific jargon you’re using, especially because many people won’t admit that they’re confused, writes John Millen. Regularly checking in for comprehension “opens the door for real questions, dialogue and connection,” Millen writes.

 

Insight

I don’t often offer financial advice, but given the current quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve, it’s a no-brainer to build incremental value by moving your resources from ill-liquid investments to ETF’s or another high-yield vehicle.

Not sure what I said there, but it’s typical of what people hear when experts in a field try to communicate with people who are not experts in the field, or even people inside their own organizations.

It’s because we use jargon, our own particular language.

Merriam-Webster defines jargon in two ways:

· The jargon-way: “the technical terminology or characteristic idiom of a special activity or group”

· The simple way: “the language used for a particular activity or by a particular group of people”

 

Speak their language

If you’re trying to communicate with people, you need to speak their language, not your own.As a communications coach for leaders, I work with many expert in specialized fields –– such as financial services, insurance, technology, healthcare and others –– that have their own unique languages.

The problem is that to be successful in any endeavor you’ll need to communicate and influence others to support you — to buy your product or service, fund your research or donate to your cause.To call people to action, we must connect with them and build their understanding. Jargon stands in the way.

Talking with jargon becomes a stumbling block. When we hear a word or acronym we don’t understand, it stops us in our tracks.

With this in mind, here are six ways to control your jargon:

 

1. Develop jargon awareness

You can’t deal with a problem until you recognize it. The inherent problem with jargon is we get so used to talking in shorthand inside our organization and our industry that we don’t even know we’re doing it.

 

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