Do Your Words Clarify or Confuse?

“We have determined that it is not in the best interests of the US government to make a determination at this time.” What? This is an actual, verbatim quote from a spokesperson of the U.S. State Department. The statement was made to answer whether, in the eyes of the United States, the current “regime change” in Egypt is the result of a military coup. I’m not a Middle East expert, but the answer to the question seems pretty obvious. The way that the U.S. government answered is a classic case of political double-speak and mumbo jumbo, words used by someone who is trying to make a statement without saying anything. Of course, you would never say anything like this … but consider three simple communication lessons that every leader should remember.

• Every arena has its own “secret” language. It could be a bunch of acronyms, It could be common words that are given very specific meaning. Or it could be uncommon words (such as theological terms) that are common to insiders. This language can be helpful shorthand for communicating internally, but it’s incredibly confusing when heard by external constituents. Too many leaders slip into this language automatically without thinking about their audience.
• Fear of criticism can lead to obscure communication. It’s natural to shrink back from delivering an unpopular message. No one eagerly awaits criticism or rejection. Unfortunately, this often leads to confusing messages that, intentionally or unintentionally, hide the main point. It’s far better to spend extra time becoming convinced of the need for the message and then making sure that it’s clear, rather than fall into this trap.
• Don’t try to hide things that are obvious. My reaction to the State Department’s response was frustration: “Why would they say that? Do they think I’m stupid?” Those who are listening to you are intelligent people, so treat them that way. If you say something that is obviously not true, you won’t change their perspective on the situation. You will only change their opinion of you as a leader.

How clearly do you communicate? Take a moment to reflect on whether you’re prone to any of these mistakes. Even better, ask a trusted advisor to give you honest feedback on the clarity of your communication. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here. ]]>