The art of plain language and why it helps build relationships 

by Orla Clancy 

In my first role after university, I worked as communications manager in an Irish law firm. I often recall the managing partner saying my law degree almost put me at a disadvantage as he wanted me to write in plain language that people understood. That is a piece of advice that has stayed with me, and not only communication professionals, but all professionals can benefit from it in their everyday lives.

We’ve all been in situations where corporate speak acts as a barrier to communication and connection. If you look around the room in a meeting, you’ll see eyes glazing over and heads tilting when people hear jargon. They tune out, even if they understand it and the language is specific to their industry or business generally. 

Here are a few examples that stand out for me:

“In relation to” — “about”

“Circle back” — “reply”

“Going forward” — “from now on”

“Shooting the breeze” — “talking” 

Am I alone? 

I recently delivered communication training and completed a quiz about what type of communicator I am. The result won’t surprise you — Intuitive Communicator, which means I like big-picture thinking and quick summaries, dislike unnecessary details and prefer fast, results-focused communication. Is my preference for plain language down to my communication type? Or do most or all of you prefer a conversational style? I’d love to hear your views in the comments. 

The most successful people I know are also the best communicators. They are engaging and speak clearly in a way that people understand. As a result, they relate to them.  

Those of us in the communication profession are relationship-builders. We need to connect people, not create a divide. We need to be the champions of plain language.

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Orla Clancy is founder and director at Strategic, and a communication professional with over 15 years of corporate and B2B experience. She has qualifications in leadership, management, public relations, crisis management, law and accounting. 

Written by: Editor