Language and Jargon Simplification

That acronym everyone on your team uses? It might be costing you more than you think... We all do it, right? Create these little 'secret handshakes' within our teams those acronyms and codenames that make us feel so efficient and in-sync. Awesome for us insiders. But then you take that handshake out into the wider world, and suddenly you might as well be reciting advanced calculus in Klingon. It's rarely our intention to make people’s heads spin. We’re passionate! We’re deep in the details. But when our insider shorthand becomes an outsider’s puzzle, great ideas get lost in translation, collaboration hits a speed bump, and that amazing progress we wanted? Well, it gets stuck in "acronym-limbo." Time for a jargon detox! 🎯 Your new mission, should you choose to accept it: 🎯 Before you use that internal codename or acronym, use “The Grandparent Test”. Ask yourself: "Could I explain this concept (and its importance) to someone smart, but totally outside my project's bubble, without them needing a PhD in 'MyTeamSpeak'?" If not, simplify! If a specific term is unavoidable and new to your audience, give a quick, plain-language definition. Otherwise, find a simpler synonym. Your goal is connection, not a vocabulary test. So, let's ditch the secret code when we step outside the clubhouse. Because clarity isn't just kind, it's fundamental to getting things done. – 👉 Follow me, Rony Rozen, for more real-world insights on tech leadership.

If you can’t explain your project to a colleague, family member or friend without their eyes glazing over, your key messages aren’t ready yet. We’ve all been there—trying to explain a complex change or a new strategy using words like "synergy," "optimisation," or "paradigm shift." The truth? Corporate jargon is a safety blanket. It feels professional, but it actually creates distance. It makes you sound pompous (or like you’re hiding something). My golden rule: Ditch the jargon for "BBQ language." Write as though you’re explaining it to a mate at a BBQ (riveting conversation, really): - Keep it human - Keep it simple. - Focus on the "So What" for them, not for the business. When you simplify the language, you increase the trust. What’s the worst piece of corporate jargon you’ve seen lately? Drop it in the comments (bonus points for a "BBQ language" translation!). [Image description: Yellow tile with black headline text that reads: Don't use corporate jargon as your safety blanket. Below is a three-panel Dilbert cartoon. Three characters are sitting at a meeting room table. The leader says: Let's schedule a scenario-based roundtable discussion about our enterprise project management. We'll use our infrastructure survey tool to architect a risk-based tiering system. Dilbert replies: That almost meant something. His colleague says: I'm tempted to stop acting randomly.]

Stop telling on yourself by trying to use big fancy words and complicated explanations. Using big words to sound smart makes you sound less smart. Sales reps think using complex language makes them look professional. They throw around industry jargon and technical terms to prove they know their stuff. But research shows emails written at a third grade reading level get 36% higher response rates than emails with complex language. Your prospects aren't impressed by your vocabulary. They're scanning your email for 3 to 4 seconds trying to decide if it's worth their time. When they see complicated language, their brain registers it as extra work. Complex language creates barriers. It confuses prospects, makes your message harder to digest, and causes frustration. Clear, simple copy helps prospects quickly grasp your message. Clarity is what drives action. I personally aim to write emails at a fifth grade comprehension level. This isn't talking down to anyone. It means using clear language that's easy to understand, even if someone is skimming on their phone between meetings. Make your message so clear that prospects immediately understand the benefits you're offering and feel confident taking the next step. They respond because you made it easy for them to engage. Simple stands out in sales copywriting. 📌 What's one piece of jargon you need to cut from your outreach?

When we talk about simplifying language in our data communication, the immediate instinct is to 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗷𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗼𝗻. And while yes, that’s important, in reality the idea of understandable language goes way beyond just skipping buzzwords. I’m talking about audiences’ fluency in the language you’re using, which in most cases is 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵. Simplifying vocabulary isn’t just about making complex ideas sound simpler, it’s also about making sure your 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, regardless of their language proficiency. Now, I’ve spent my entire life & career in Dubai, a city that’s arguably one of the most multicultural in the world, so trust me, I’ve seen this play out time and again. When there are people of so many nationalities and cultures, sometimes you have to explain things at the level of a 5-yr old, not because your audience lacks intelligence, but because English is not their first language. You could be speaking to a senior executive, an engineer, or a policymaker, but if their brain is working overtime just to process your vocabulary, they’re missing the meaning you’re trying to convey. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 🚩Because, 𝗖𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹. When your audience is translating in their heads, every extra syllable can become a hurdle. But if they understand it without any issues, they’re more likely believe and act on it. 𝗦𝗼, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲? ✅ Turns out it’s really not that difficult. Just use simple and direct words. Not dumbed down, sharp and to the point. ✅ If you see no other choice but 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 use a complex term, then define it in parentheses, footnotes, appendix….etc. ✅ And finally, if you can, send an early draft to your key audience and ask if they understand it. If it comes back with no issues, you’re good to go! Now, I know we like to show great vocabulary to make an impression, but what good is all that "eloquence" if the message itself struggles to land? Always try to prioritize clarity over clever. You’ll be surprised at how much more your audience engages and understands your communication. 

The biggest mistake founders make in our first meeting? They assume I understand their business. I don't. And neither do most investors you'll pitch. I've evaluated 200+ startups. I know how to spot traction, read unit economics, and judge execution. But I don't wake up thinking about freight forwarding, dental billing, or warehouse robotics. That's your world. Not mine. Here's what works: Give me the "Uber for X" in one sentence. "We're the Uber of freight forwarding, our AI platform moves freight from A to B and eliminates the delays that kill margins." Done.  I'm oriented. I may not know logistics cold, but I know Uber. Now my brain can focus on what actually matters: Can you execute? Will the market pay? Can this scale? Too many founders do the opposite. They assume sector knowledge. Stack buzzwords. Dive into technical details. Twenty minutes later, I'm still asking myself: "What do they actually do?" If investors leave your pitch asking each other that question, you failed. The deck doesn't matter. The tech doesn't matter. The credentials don't matter. What matters: Can you explain it simply? ✅ Simple language forces clarity If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it deeply enough. ✅ Clarity builds confidence When I understand your business in 60 seconds, I believe you can execute for the next 10 years. ✅ Analogies accelerate understanding "Uber for X" isn't lazy, it's efficient. My brain has a framework. Now show me what's different. Treat every investor like a smart five-year-old. That's not an insult. It's a discipline. Smart five-year-olds ask great questions. They force you to strip away jargon.  They make you get to the point. The best founders I've backed could explain their company to anyone, from a PhD to a bartender, and both would get it. Complexity doesn't impress me. Clarity does. How would you explain your startup to someone who's smart but knows nothing about your industry?

Strategy execution dies where clarity ends. A strategy that needs decoding won’t get delivered, here's why👇 If you've ever worked with consultants (yes, including me), you’ve probably been hit with a tsunami of buzzwords: 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬-𝘰𝘧-𝘵𝘩𝘦-𝘦𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, 𝘣𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦-𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴-𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘱. While these terms may sound sophisticated, they often add no value, obscure meaning, confuse some listeners, and complicate the very problems we’re meant to solve. Having led both the design and implementation of strategy in a multilingual organisation, I’ve learned a crucial lesson: simplicity wins. Fancy language doesn’t drive execution—clarity does. The authors of The 4 Disciplines of Execution put it plainly: “One prime suspect behind execution breakdown was clarity of the objective: people simply didn't understand the goal they were supposed to execute....only 15% could name one of the top three goals their leaders had identified.” Let that sink in: only 15%! In today’s results-driven world, no one has time to decode jargon. Whether you're a consultant or a team leader, your communication must be clear, concise, and actionable. If your job is to solve problems, not to impress with vocabulary, ditch the jargon. 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁: How big is the gap between what you said and what people understood? The narrower that gap, the greater your impact. Here's a Real-World Illustration: ❌ Unclear version: “We will adopt a structured and methodical approach to articulate a robust, forward-looking strategy that aligns with the organization’s long-term objectives and positions it for sustainable growth.” ✅ Plain English: “We will use a structured approach to develop a long-term strategy.” Feels better, right? Bottom Line: If people need a dictionary to interpret your strategy, it’s not going far. Execution thrives on understanding, and understanding thrives on simplicity. 𝗣𝗦: Got any buzzwords that make you roll your eyes? Drop them in the comments. Let’s laugh (and learn) together. #YomiMol #Leadership #StrategyExecution #Communication #Consulting #CorporateStrategy

Writing tips from Lee Kuan Yew Write in clean, clear prose "I choose my words carefully – not elegant, not stylish, just clean, clear prose. It means simplifying, polishing and tightening." Simplify, simplify, simplify "Do not try to impress by big words – impress by the clarity of your ideas...If I had not been able to reduce complex ideas into simple words and project them vividly for mass understanding, I would not be here today." Avoid jargon and other 'codes' "When you write notes, minutes or memoranda, do not write in code, so that only those privy to your thoughts can understand. Write so simply that any other officer who knows nothing of the subject can still understand you." Read good stuff "There is such a thing as a language environment. Ours is a bad one. Those of you who have come back from a long stay in a good English-speaking environment would have felt the shock when reading The Straits Times on returning." Discuss "Our biggest obstacle to better English is shyness. It is a psychological barrier. Nobody likes to stop and ask, “Please, what does that mean?” or “Please tell me, where have I gone wrong?” To pretend to know when you don’t know is abysmal folly. Then we begin to take in each other’s mistakes and repeat them. We recycle and reinforce these mistakes, compounding our problems." Remember, you're competing with spoken words "I could have put into a five-page note what I am going to tell you. But it will not have the same impact. The spoken word is always stronger, more emotive, and commands attention. The written word requires a practised, educated mind to extract nuances of meaning." From the brilliant book: Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and His Ideas

The moment I stopped trying to sound smart changed everything for me. I used to write and speak like I was trying to impress a university professor Long sentences. Complex words. Buzzwords I secretly did not understand. Then something uncomfortable happened. A non-technical friend asked me: "Can you explain what you do to me like I am twelve?" My first answer was a mess. 😅 So I tried again. "In simple terms, what I do is teach computers to recognize patterns so we can make better decisions." She said: "Oh, that actually sounds cool. Why do you not say that online?" That moment hit me. If people need a dictionary to understand you, they will not trust you I made one small shift. If I cannot explain it simply, I probably do not understand it deeply. So I changed how I communicate: 🟣 I swapped jargon for everyday language 🟣 I used examples from real life, not only research papers 🟣 I talked about feelings, not only frameworks The result surprised me. More people engaged. More people related. Even colleagues told me, "This is the first time I have seen this explained in a way my parents could understand." Here is the truth. The future of tech will belong to the people who can translate, not just the people who can code. Try this. Pick one thing you work on and explain it in one simple sentence in the comments. No jargon. No buzzwords. If a teenager could understand it, you are on the right track

I tested my cold emails with a 12-year-old. She had no idea what I was selling. That's when I realized: if a kid can't understand it, your prospect won't either. Here's the clarity test that changed everything: Read your cold email out loud to someone outside your industry. If they can't explain back what you're offering and what you want them to do, it's too complex. Most cold emails fail this test badly. Here are 5 phrases to delete immediately: 1. "Leverage synergies" → Use: "work together" 2. "Value-added solutions" → Use: "tools that help you" 3. "Optimize your workflow" → Use: "save you time" 4. "Strategic partnership" → Use: "work with us" 5. "Circle back" → Use: "follow up" Before: "We provide enterprise-grade solutions that leverage AI to optimize your go-to-market strategy and drive scalable growth." After: "We help you get more customers using AI. Want to see how?" The difference? A 12-year-old gets it. Your prospect will too. Simple language doesn't make you look less professional. It makes you look confident enough to be clear. Test your next cold email with this rule. If you have to explain what you meant, rewrite it. What jargon are you still using in your cold emails? PS: Here's a reminder to drink your coffee. You might sound better after.