Founder LifeWIRE Corp, |CEO Nova Insights |Digital Health Exec| Strategic Advisor| Colleague, HITLAB (Columbia University)| Inventor.
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In any industry, becoming buzzword compliant is easy. Trendy words and phrases are always popping up as a means to sell new services, sound innovative, and impress potential investors, even when nothing has actually changed. For example, what is now called “cloud computing” has been “web servers,” “M2M,” “virtualization,” and “distributed computing,” just to name a few of the buzzwords.
Communication can be an amazingly fine line for business leaders selling their product or service. From marketing pitches to buzzwords, there’s an ever-changing scorecard for judging whether a professional knows what he’s talking about. However, knowing what you say and just sounding like you do are different things.
Who’s buzzing? Everybody.
According to an recent survey out of 2,000 employees, about 71% have used buzzwords/jargon, and 25% use it regularly. It seems inevitable. I can’t count the number of conferences I’ve attended, where attendees inevitably played a game of “What’s going to be the buzzword this year?” The answers changed all the time.
To be honest, the constant shifts got so confusing for me. So much so that when I was a health IT provider, my company hired a consulting firm so we could keep up with the buzzwords in our own industry. That’s how we discovered that we were using popular terms, but with completely different meanings than others in the industry. For example, Fortune 100 companies using the buzzword “patient engagement” meant data obtained from medical devices, while my company used it to actually engage patients themselves. With this discovery, we decided to step back from buzzwords and explain ourselves in simple language.
What a difference clarity made! There is an estimate 80 million American adults with low or limited health literacy, meaning they may not have the skills to properly manage or discuss their health. I would say this is partly due to us not being familiar with the buzzwords that have overtaken the health industry. In addition, buzzwords can limit the range and ability to properly communicate an issue. It’s clear to me that no matter the industry, there’s no reason to use buzzwords when simple, plain language is always best.
4 Ways to Reduce Buzzwords
If you feel like you’ve become overly dependent on buzzwords and technical language, here are some tips to simplify your communication and avoid industry jargon.
1. Think outside the industry
Assume your audience isn’t familiar with you or the industry. Overly technical language can be very unpleasant, so if you start with this perspective, you will have to prioritize clarity. One way to edit yourself is to write down what you plan to say and then read it aloud to yourself. As you listen to the recording, watch for jargon and buzzwords that obscure your point.
2. Keep your language simple
It doesn’t matter who you talk to, it’s best to speak clearly. This is more than just minimizing obscure industry references. It means speaking in short sentences and using active language whenever possible. This creates an assertive image because it helps you get your point across quickly, giving your audience more confidence in your knowledge.
3. Be inclusive of all audiences
The words you use are more important than the ability of others to understand you. They also contribute to creating an inclusive, safe environment for everyone. Exclusive use of language can hinder you by creating distance between you and your audience. So, make sure your language is inclusive and sensitive. This allows your audience to focus on your message while feeling seen and respected.
4. Get input from others
At the end of the day, the only way to really find out if you’re buzzword-free is to get honest feedback from others. When you’re working on a pitch, presentation, or other form of communication, share it with people you trust, preferably someone outside your industry. If they can repeat the core message after you speak, you’ve successfully avoided confusing, overly technical language. If not, take out the digital eraser and try again.
In today’s more globalized market, buzzwords are not doing your business any good. They create a negative perception, resulting in poor, ineffective communication. As business leaders, communication is everything. To make sure you better communicate your point, business plan or vision, it’s time to get the technical language out. Switching to direct communication without jargon will lead to more success.
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