Jargon Busting

"Look at these sales figures! You know, Sam,
you can't put lipstick on a pig. If we continue this strategic
partnering paradigm we might as well be milking a mouse. We've got
to cut bait and return to our archetype of using customer-oriented
discretionary values to make product reengineering decisions."
If your head is spinning after reading that, you're not alone. The
culprit is jargon: The use of specialized terms, idioms,
expressions, acronyms and abbreviations that are understandable to
only a select group of people.
Jargon – the specialized language of a group of people – has its
place in the workplace. It can provide useful shorthand to get
across specific meaning quickly.
But jargon becomes a problem when it stops people understanding your
message. When you start using jargon (perhaps unintentionally) with
audiences it is not intended for, people will find you very
difficult to understand.
Even within the group the jargon's meant for, meanings evolve and
newcomers misunderstand. And soon jargon can create barriers within
groups too.
In the comments above, made to Sam by his colleague, there are seven
instances of business jargon and idioms. You may be familiar with
some of the words or phrases, but do you know what the speaker
really means? Probably not. That is the problem with jargon. It
diminishes the effectiveness of the communication.
It would be much easier for Sam, and anyone else listening, if the
speaker simply said:
"Look at these sales figures! – They don't look good. The new
partnering arrangement is not working. We need to go back to
deciding on product improvements based on customer feedback."
When jargon creeps in
Every profession, organization and specialized
group has some unique vocabulary that can speed communication
between group members. This is okay, provided that the meaning is
totally clear to everyone who needs to understand. (Sometimes it's
even a benefit that others outside the group do not understand. For
example, patients may sometimes be better off not knowing some of
the jargon used between doctors.)
Jargon is not effective however if your intended audience doesn't
understand it. Some people use jargon unintentionally when it's out
of place to do so. Others use it to look more knowledgeable.
Sometimes people replace perfectly acceptable and understandable
words with fancy, specialized jargon, seeking to impress their
audience. These specialist words seem to hold some magical power
that can make the speaker feel more intelligent or more
knowledgeable. Unfortunately, the impression he or she gives may be
a negative one, rather than the one intended.

Whatever the reason you use jargon, if it's out of place and the
audience misunderstands, it can create a two-fold problem. Whilst
you fail to convey information to them, you may also succeed in
conveying a more subtle, negative message: That you have given
little thought to your audience; and perhaps that you are insincere
and not to be trusted.
Worse, you may never know that your audience has not understood –
people often don't say anything if they mistrust you, or if they
fear of looking unintelligent themselves.
Jargon traps
Here are some common uses of jargon. Which ones do you use?

Communicating with others in your field/group
It's okay, within reason, to use jargon for this, but be sure that
everyone really does understand. Use jargon when it helps convey
specialist information, and avoid it at other times.

Unthinking
People often use jargon simply because they are not thinking – it
becomes a (bad) habit. Jargon that's appropriate within you team or
specialist group is often unintelligible to outsiders, such as your
customers or members of your family.
Trying to impress
Jargon rarely impresses intelligent people. You are more likely to
create the impression of "trying to impress" than "being
impressive". Others may see it as insincere or irritating.
Distracting from facts or knowledge
Some people drop into jargon when they want hide the truth, lessen
the magnitude of something, or make it sound more impressive. This
is best avoided as it's sure to be spotted. Experienced
businesspeople may reject jargon-ridden communication for this very
reason.
Distracting from lack of knowledge
Sometimes it's unintentional but when you're unsure or under
pressure, you might give a jargon-filled answer rather than a
straight one. Again, it's best to avoid this as it gives a bad
impression.
Trying to fit
Using the same language as others is natural when your trying to
build rapport, so jargon may have a place here. But beware! Only use
jargon that you fully understand, and that you know is understood by
everyone in your audience (not just the ones you want to impress.)

Jargon busting
The first step to avoiding unnecessary jargon is to be aware of when
you use it. Check through the jargon traps above. Do you tend to
fall into any of these? And if so, when?
Perhaps it's when you are in a particular type of meeting, when
you're under pressure, or when you are talking with a particular
person or group. Perhaps you use company jargon when talking to
people outside your organization.
Once you have identified when you tend to use jargon, think about
the things you actually say. A good way to do this is to look back
at letters, emails, or speeches you have written; or think back to a
specific conversation you have had; or even ask someone you know to
comment. What specialist words, phrases, expressions, acronyms and
abbreviations do you commonly use? Are they necessary and
understandable to your intended audience?
The final step is to think about alternatives to the unnecessary
jargon you use: Ask yourself what you could say differently to make
things clearer. For questions you frequently answer with jargon,
practice alternative answers that are as simple and clear as
possible.

Key Points
When it comes to communicating effectively, jargon often gets in the
way. It creates barriers that stop people understanding you clearly
and completely.
By learning to use simple, everyday language instead, your
communication will be more effective and more thoughtful towards
your audience.
The simple rule is: It is always better to be clear than to be brief
or 'clever'.
By communicating without jargon, not only will you be better
understood, you will come across as more sincere, trustworthy and in
tune with your audience.