How to Navigate Professional Conversations Without Jargon

You have a case = short call. There is no case = long call. ______________ I've noticed a bit of a paradoxical outcome to my follow-up consulting calls. After my case reviews, I have a call with my attorney client to discuss the merits of the case, strategy, information needed in discovery, etc. These calls can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more. Interestingly... the cases where there is NO MERIT... and I recommend not moving forward... consistently take even longer than the cases that DO have merit. The reason? The attorney has a very difficult phone call to make later that day... the call where he tells the potential client their case can't move forward. For obvious reasons, this can be a very difficult conversation for both the attorney AND the client who sought their counsel. The outcome of that call is determined by the explanation provided and the compassion shown by the attorney. The attorney must explain exactly what happened, how it happened, and why it cannot be pursued as a medical malpractice case. They must also show compassion and help the client begin the healing process. To do this effectively, they need a solid understanding of the medicine involved. They must also anticipate the questions likely to arise during the difficult conversation. My call with the attorney is the prep session for this difficult conversation. I share everything I know. I provide answers to the anticipated questions. I explain difficult medical concepts without any jargon. My clients don't send a form letter. They don't ask their paralegal to make the call. They don't kick the can down the road and delay the call to next week. My clients pick up the phone and have the difficult conversation. They are as prepared as they can be and they take their role in the process very seriously. I know one of my clients had to make one of these calls yesterday. I thought about it all evening. I thought about him. I thought about the family he called. I thought about the tears that likely occurred on both ends of the phone. Done correctly, these difficult conversations can help move people beyond the anger stage of grief... and allow the healing to proceed.

In my consulting work, I often work with high-level executives to help develop their messaging. Whether they are preparing to present to a major prospect, the media or to stakeholders, we always have to address one common challenge: how to communicate complex issues without getting into complicated explanations. In the digital age, attention spans are short. You cannot positively influence people by boring them into submission. The solution is not to talk about everything you know on a topic. You need to get it down to THE ONE THING that matters most… to them, not to you. Here are my Top Three Tips: 1      Express your one key point so it is clear, memorable and repeatable 2     Resist using acronyms or obscure vocabulary words that may confuse 3     Take out anything that dilutes or distracts from your key message This is not only important in the conference room, but also critical in the court room. An expert witness that can’t communicate effectively to the jury does not help your case. As a successful litigator once told me: “If you are explaining, you’re losing.” How have you seen this play out in your work experience? #Influence #MelindaMarcus #Leadership #LeadershipSkills #WitnessPreparation #Litigation #CommunicationsTips #StrategicMessaging #ExecutiveAdvisor 

It is Your Job... Have you said one or more of the following in your past? Maybe 1 or 2 in the last 24 hours? - To a team member: "We covered that you had this action last week" - To a spouse: "The appointment is today, we spoke about this last weekend" - To a Kid: "I have told this to you how many times?" In these examples, how often do we blame the one we are communicating with? "They never listen!" we tell ourselves. Don't Illude yourself. You may have Spoken, but your message was not received. It is not their job to listen, to hear you, to understand. As the communicator, the Leader, it is your job to ensure they understand. Below are my Top 3 ways to ensure your communication is received: 1) Clearly, share the action you want to be taken - Easy to understand language, no jargon 2) Share Why - Example: I may want my son to wear a helmet  • Simply telling him may not work • Explaining to him what could occur may help. • Sharing what happened to a friend his age may really hit home. 3) Ask for them to recap what needs to occur. - Did you get all the details? Who, when, etc.? - If not, ask questions and revisit items 1 and 2. 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗽: After reviewing the situation with them - ask what they believe the action they take should be. - This method immediately creates the ownership that will produce a higher likelihood of follow-through. Don't just Talk, Communicate in a way that your audience Understands. ✍️ How do you ensure your message is heard? ~~~~~~~~ 🔔 Follow me, Brad Smith, for daily actionable Leadership & Fitness insights.

When I launched my podcast, I had to interview smart minds. I was nervous and unprepared. I treated every conversation like ping-pong. I asked, they answered. Back and forth. Hit and miss. No depth, no insight, no connection. This is how most of us communicate. We talk to reply, not to learn. “Listening is an art that requires attention over talent, spirit over ego, others over self.” - Dean Jackson Your listening and communication skills determine your success in: - Sales - Relationships - Leadership - Life Bottom line: It matters. And we can do better. I’ve improved a lot. It wasn’t easy, but these are 5 frameworks that helped me listen better and transform how I communicate. 1. The Ladder of Inference (Bias). We often make assumptions and jump to conclusions, without checking the facts and logic. This leads to confusion, conflict, and poor decisions. To avoid this, we need to climb DOWN the ladder and question our thinking. This is a dangerous ladder that creates bias and limits us. 2. The Five Whys. A simple way to go deeper. Ask “why” (5 times) until you find the root cause. - It uncovers hidden assumptions and beliefs. - It prevents superficial solutions. - Be curious and open-minded and keep digging. 3. Affective Frame A technique teachers use. When you know why you care, you’ll pay more attention (and listen better). We can lose focus and drift away. Constantly remind yourself of the purpose and value of the conversation. You’ll stay engaged longer. 4. Signal vs. Noise: Signal: The main message or idea. Noise: Anything that distracts, confuses, or weakens the signal. We’re bad at expressing our thoughts. This leads to chaos. - Be clear and concise. - Use simple words and sentences. - Avoid jargon and filler words. This will help the other person focus. Complex questions or vague thoughts lead to messy back and forth. 5. The Pareto Principle. We don’t need to cover every topic every time. Pareto principle tells us that 80% of the outcomes come from 20% of the inputs, actions, or ideas. However, more often than not, we repeat 80% of the things that only produce 20% of the results, instead of the opposite. This happens because the 20% that produces the 80% is the hard work, the tough tasks, the deep, challenging questions. Remember. Time is precious. We only have so much time to communicate and get things done. - Focus on the important work. - Have the difficult conversation. - Ask the hard questions. That’s how you make every conversation count.