Many of us believe that big words and fancy lines make us sound smart. We use them in meetings, emails, presentations, and conversations, hoping they’ll make us look more credible.
But communication has one job: to be understood. If the other person didn’t get what you meant, it doesn’t matter how impressive you sounded. The message didn’t land.
A Lesson From a Client Call
We learned this first-hand on a call with a client. We were walking them through the flow of a workshop and explaining the activities we had planned.
Without realising it, we were using words and phrases we use every day in our line of work. When you spend so much time in a field, your own vocabulary stops sounding like jargon. It just sounds like normal speech.
But the client wasn’t in our world. We could sense that the explanation wasn’t working. The questions were hesitant, and the clarity we hoped for wasn’t there.
So we paused, reset, and started again in simple English. We explained what each activity was, what would happen, and what the team would take away from it. The conversation changed almost immediately. The client followed along, asked better questions, and we could see them picturing the workshop with their own team.
Nothing about our workshop changed. Only the way we explained it did.
Why We Reach for Complicated Words
If simple is better, why do we keep making things complicated? There are a few common reasons:
- We want to sound credible. We assume complex language signals expertise.
- We forget our audience. After years in a field, we lose sight of what’s obvious to us and new to everyone else.
- We’re nervous. When we’re unsure, we sometimes hide behind big words instead of saying plainly what we mean.
- It’s a habit. Workplaces build their own shorthand, and we carry it everywhere without noticing.
None of these are bad intentions. They’re human. But they create a gap between what we say and what people hear.
What Simple Communication Really Means
Simple doesn’t mean shallow, and it doesn’t mean talking down to anyone. It means making your idea easy to receive. In fact, it’s harder to do than complicated communication. Explaining a big idea in plain words requires you to truly understand it yourself.
A few things make communication simple:
- Short sentences: One idea at a time.
- Everyday words: If a common word works, use it.
- Clear purpose: Know what you want the listener to understand or do before you speak.
- Concrete examples: A small real-life example often explains more than a paragraph of theory.
Six Ways to Simplify How You Communicate
- Know your audience before you speak.
Ask yourself who is listening and what they already know. A new joiner, a senior leader, and a client from another industry need different explanations of the same thing. - Say the main point first.
Don’t make people dig for it. Start with what matters most, then add the detail. - Swap jargon for plain words.
If you notice yourself using a term your audience may not use daily, either explain it or replace it. “Utilise” can be “use.” “Leverage” can be “take advantage of.” Small changes add up. - Use examples and stories.
People remember pictures and moments better than abstract statements. “Imagine a team where nobody shares updates” lands faster than a definition of silos. - Check for understanding.
Don’t just ask “Does that make sense?” because most people say yes. Instead, ask, “What’s your takeaway so far?” or “How would you explain this to your team?” Their answer tells you what actually came across. - Watch the room.
Hesitation, blank looks, and silence are signals. When you notice them, pause and try again in a simpler way. There’s no shame in a reset. We did exactly that on our client call, and it made the whole conversation better.
Simplicity Builds Trust
There’s another benefit that’s easy to miss. When people understand you, they trust you. They feel included instead of confused. They’re more comfortable asking questions, disagreeing, or admitting they need more clarity.
In a workshop, a team meeting, or a client conversation, that comfort is what opens the door to honest discussion. Nobody learns much while they’re quietly pretending to follow along.
Simple communication also saves time. Fewer misunderstandings mean fewer follow-up emails, fewer repeated explanations, and fewer decisions made on wrong assumptions.
Try This Week
Pick one conversation, email, or meeting this week and try these steps:
- Before you speak or write, decide the one thing you want the other person to understand.
- Say it in one or two plain sentences.
- Ask them to tell you what they heard.
You may be surprised by the gap between what you said and what they heard. Closing that gap is where better teamwork begins.
Final Thoughts
Big words may make us feel smart, but clear words make others feel understood. And in the end, that’s what good communication is about.
At Korelate Learning, we’ve learned this through our own conversations, with clients and with the teams we work with. The best explanations aren’t the most impressive ones. They’re the ones that everyone in the room can follow.
So next time you’re about to reach for a fancy phrase, pause and ask: “Will this help them understand, or just help me sound smart?”
Meet Styren Dsouza, fondly called Sty, a lively Co-Facilitator at Korelate Learning, who started his journey at Korelate during its initial months. At only 22, Sty is like a fully changed bunny, hopping from one thing to the other with endless enthusiasm.With consecutive “Kore Star” under his kitty and being referred to as “Enthu Cutlet” by his team members, Sty is also a team player and thrives in a collaborative environment. Always ready to help his team members.
