Reduce your team's reliance on jargon
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Today’s Tip
Reduce Your Team’s Reliance on Jargon
While many of us find jargon to be annoying, it remains a staple of the modern workplace. In some cases, jargon has a legitimate purpose. It can be a mechanism for efficient communication (think air traffic controllers) or help employees bond over a shared identity. But overreliance on jargon can make people feel excluded — or worse, lead them to disengage. If you’re concerned about the potential negative effects of jargon on your organization, consider the following:
1. Know your audience. There are times when using jargon can help you signal expertise or credibility. But when clarity and engagement are paramount, it may be costly.
2. Check yourself. Ask yourself whether there’s a simpler way to communicate your idea.
3. Start at the top. Executive communications that use clear and unambiguous language can set the tone.
4. Spread the word. Letting others know why you avoid jargon sends a clear message that you’re confident in your abilities and interested in being understood rather than showing off.
This tip is adapted from “Does Your Office Have a Jargon Problem?<https://hbr.org/2021/03/do-you-have-a-jargon-problem?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Zachariah C. Brown et al.
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Today’s Tip
Reduce Your Team’s Reliance on Jargon
While many of us find jargon to be annoying, it remains a staple of the modern workplace. In some cases, jargon has a legitimate purpose. It can be a mechanism for efficient communication (think air traffic controllers) or help employees bond over a shared identity. But overreliance on jargon can make people feel excluded — or worse, lead them to disengage. If you’re concerned about the potential negative effects of jargon on your organization, consider the following:
1. Know your audience. There are times when using jargon can help you signal expertise or credibility. But when clarity and engagement are paramount, it may be costly.
2. Check yourself. Ask yourself whether there’s a simpler way to communicate your idea.
3. Start at the top. Executive communications that use clear and unambiguous language can set the tone.
4. Spread the word. Letting others know why you avoid jargon sends a clear message that you’re confident in your abilities and interested in being understood rather than showing off.
This tip is adapted from “Does Your Office Have a Jargon Problem?<https://hbr.org/2021/03/do-you-have-a-jargon-problem?utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_campaign=mtod_actsubs&utm_content=signinnudge,”> by Zachariah C. Brown et al.
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by Erin E. Makarius, Barbara Z. Larson, and Susan R. Vroman
Ten questions to guide your approach.
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