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How to write clearly and concisely
How to use proper grammar and punctuation
How to structure a business document
Kick The Jargon Habit
- Watch or review your previous presentations, blogs and memos.
- Engage your readers, don't write at them. This means talking in their language. Choose words like "thinking," not "ideation." Call it a "report," not a "deliverable."
- Make text easy to scan. Fillers and puffy language get in the way.
- Avoid acronyms by spelling them out. Discuss KPI with your executive team, but be aware that other staffers may not know that you mean key performance indicators.
Remember that "blue sky thinking" will not take you to "where the rubber meets the road."
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Jargon Is Bad And Divisive
Using terms unfamiliar to your readers or audience can seem noninclusive and even divisive. It's as if a manager is saying: "I know things. You don't know things."
Any communication rife with buzzwords can also come across as disingenuous. What strategy isn't "results-oriented"? W...
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99 reads
Buzzwords Are Missed Opportunities
A study by Ohio State University researchers found that people were less interested and informed after reading jargon-filled samples—even when terms were defined—than another group reading a plain-language version. When staff glaze over stuffy or pretentious language, managers miss th...
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36 reads
Jargon At The Workplace
Jargons are overused terms that make people roll their eyes, tune out, wince or nod off.
Some common words and phrases: "Shift the paradigm." Take a "solution-oriented approach." "Empower your brand" "agile," "actionable" or "the new normal."
Call it corporate speak or bus...
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229 reads
Big Words, Losing Ways
A presentation to employees that they don't understand or that is packed with meaningless phrases is a communication failure.
Using big words does not make you sound smarter, either. In fact, it usually has the opposite effect. You build credibility by connecting with your audience, not by...
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61 reads
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