#63 - The case for plain talking!
28 May 25
In the UK, the Plain English Campaign focussed on just that...improving communication! They had a point, because misread or misundertood messaging was found to be caused primarily by bad messaging. Rather than focussing on complexity, the key is ultimately to make it as simple as possible.
It's hard work, but does get easier over time!
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#63 - The case for plain talking!
What?
It never fails to amaze me how many times I discover that, more often than not, the issue behind most issues is simply down to a failure to communicate effectively.
Leaders who use vague, non-prescriptive language, which alludes to certain courses of action rather than specifying exactly what is required, then leads to uncertainty and misinterpretation.
This is further excacerbated by people routinely filling in the gaps with assumptions and their own unchecked interpretations.
If only leaders could communicate better!
Why?
The reasons for this scourge are unclear. Perhaps it is due to uncertainty on the part of the leader? Maybe, linked in with a lack of confidence in their own abilities and compounded by a desire to 'talk aloud' around an issue, to provide an insight into their own thought processes.
But either way, you could say that the problem is compounded by both the communicator and the target audience.
The onus is on the communicator to articulate exactly what it is they want their team to do. Use of precise language is key, with no sloppy language which causes confusion and ambiguity.
But equally, it falls to those in receipt of the messaging to ask clarifying questions, and to request that the leader re-words or re-phrases when the message isn't hitting home effectively.
In sum, the leader needs to check that the message has landed and is understood. The team should then acknowledge their understanding. This is in line with the military which adopts a 'the order has not been considered passed until it has been acknowledged' approach.
The problem therefore lies with both parties.
How?
So how best to address this?
Well, there are actions which must be completed by both parties:
Leader - Always use plain english and aim for the message to be understood by the most junior person in the team. Avoid fluff and padding as this detracts from the main message.
Team - If unsure and the message is not fully understood, ask the leader to rephrase the message in a simpler format. Ask clarification questions to aid understanding and to expand in areas that perhaps need a little more detail to be divulged.
As I mentioned, the message hasn't been passed until it has been acknowledged!
The US military use an acronym which perfectly illustrates this.
H - Heard,
U - Understood,
A - Acknowledged.
Commonly known as 'HUA', but please don't go shouting it out!!
In Summary
I hope that you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that it has given you food for thought.
Communicating effectively is a simple leadership hack which goes a long way towards eradicating areas where misunderstandings occur. Ultimately, the aim of the leader is to ensure they are fully understood and so avoid the rework that frequently associates itself with teams pursuing an incorrect course as a result.
Have a great week!
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