When the juice ain’t worth the squeezeIt’s my fault and I admit it. The telephone buzzed and a business friend asked a favor. She was writing a presentation and needed the latest corporate terms to stimulate performance. With less than five seconds thought I pulled two out of my … well, I made up two.
Over-Aspirational** – Set over-aspirational goals for each department.
Over-Aspirationalize** – Over-aspirationalize KPO’s for 2010.
She was happy and I was smug … and then it hit me. I had just contributed to the deluge of corporate babble that is drowning critical communication. I know it’s hard to accept but someone “made up” all those terms and expressions that make navigating business communications like walking through a cow pasture with your eyes closed. I had just added two more and they were pure babble. The biggest problem with business babble is the effort it takes to attempt to understand the message it isn’t worth it. The juice ain’t worth the squeeze.
** Feel free to use these expressions in your business communications. Please send us 25¢ for each usage. I know it’s hypocritical but we’re talking a load of money.
The Shower of Babble
Every wonder why we constantly strive to focus and simplify our marketing to generate desired results from specific audiences … and use an entirely different set of rules for communication to employees, partners, shareholders and franchisees? We easily accept “dumbing down” messaging in marketing and then make other communication filled with business jargon, obscure acronyms and the complex style of a doctoral thesis. How dumb can it get? Just check out What the H@@% are you talking about?
We use a shower of “business babble” and over-intellectualizing so we sound like we have the knowledge and ability to "Think outside the box," "Get to the next level" and "Push the envelope." Frankly it’s nothing more than an attempt to convince people that we know what we’re talking about.
Own the message and the outcome
You see it almost every day. The materials and presentations are filled with jargon, inside terms and super-intellectual attitude. The justification is, “We need to educate our top management/customers/clients. They just don’t understand my – product – service –marketing plan – proposal – training – HR concept – benefits.” The secret message is, “I want to educate you in how I think so you’ll agree with me.”
I’m sure the emotions come from frustration but making the people you depend upon for success feel dumb and uninformed is not a winning strategy. When you design your communication (sender) based on the audience’s (receiver’s) context and perspective you take ownership of the message and the outcome.
The lost art of plain talk
The goal of communication is understanding plus action - What are the desired results? What does the person need to see, hear, understand, appreciate and value to do what you want them to do? If you are a regular reader of this blog this should sound familiar. Then, use plain talk to communicate it.
Make your ideas impressive and your language simple - Speak in ways so people can easily understand and value what you are saying. Use simple declarative sentences
If you have to explain a term or acronym, don’t use it – unless there is an acceptable substitute. One out of ten people don’t understand the term, which means that 10% of your audience/readers/leaders have stopped listening and are trying to figure out what you mean. Communication has stopped and you’ve left them behind.
Don’t assume understanding - Imagine a recent drug launch and the marketing manager explaining how the company plans to use social media to spread the marketing message. He uses “viral videos” and “going viral” often. The audience is physicians … oops! Jargon doesn’t necessarily have the same meaning from company to company or even department to department. Make it simple, clear and unambiguous. When it doubt, ask.
Be clear, not cool - Don’t use synthetic, made up expressions and acronyms. It doesn’t matter if you saw them online or in the Harvard Business Review. Be clear. How much extra time and energy would it take to say “key performance objectives,” “cost of living adjustment,” “business to business” or “earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization”?
Follow our Four Steps of Clarity
1. What are you really trying to say?
2. How does your message relate to the problem/goal/opportunity/situation?
3. What needs to happen and how will you know when it works and when it’s right?
4. What does the company and/or the audience gain by doing it or lose by not doing it?
How big a deal is this anyway?
I’m sure that there is a ton of research highlighting the cost of babble and present it in detailed, clinical, academic ways. But there’s a better barometer of the impact. The Shower of Babble has gone mainstream. There’s an Apple iPhone application called Biz Babble. The marketing says it all. “Biz Babble puts the power of stupid business phrases in the palm of your hand.” So whenever you have the desire to instantly flush your credibility, confuse your listeners and motivate rampant organizational and economic resistance – all it takes is the press of a button.
In conclusion
I hope that this article has instilled random recognition and contributed to over-aspirationalizing a multi-disciplinary, cross-functional approach to minimizing pushback and leveraging intellectual disconnects so you can proactively and seamlessly engage 24/7 initiatives through best-of-breed actionable, client-facing items. At the end of the day.
Huh?
If you liked this article you might also like:
Someone Is Stealing Your Business
Can You Answer The Big "So What?"
Six Words That Will Save Your Job
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Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.
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