I gave a speech the other day and I came in early to listen to some of their industry speakers to see if I could gain a better understanding of the most pressing issues they were facing. What I heard and saw in Power Point slides was incredibly confusing for this “Non-Industry” person. Acronyms were everywhere; they almost couldn’t get through one sentence without some abbreviation being used or industry specific expression. I wondered how many new people had no clue what was being discussed and also how many veterans in the audience were confused, but would never admit it.
If I was speaking to an audience that might not be familiar with sports terms, slang or expressions, it would be prudent of me to leave out phrases like … jump the gun, blind-sided, home stretch, throw in the towel, second wind, learn the ropes, down to the wire, across the board, step up to the plate, and hit a home run. Connecting with your audience is critical, so it is really important to make sure any words you use will compliment your message rather than confuse your audience.
One reason companies don’t succeed is because they fail to make things clear, concise and understandable. People don’t like to appear confused or stupid and rather than raise their hand in front of all their peers to ask for help or for a better explanation of what you just said, they will stay silent. Many managers assume that since no one asked any questions, then everyone must have FULLY understood … only to find out later that wasn’t the case. The problem with finding out later is that it usually ends up costing you time, money, and/or customers.
He’s an ace reporter … My sister’s boyfriend is a real airhead … Your ideas about politics are all wet … That is really a cheesy looking outfit. Most of us would have a general understanding of those phrases, but if I asked you to tell me exactly what the bold words mean, I am sure I would get several different answers. Kind-of understanding and fully understanding can be the difference between failure and success.
Why do we say “Right as rain” , “Rule of Thumb”, “Red Herring”, “Cut through the red tape”, or “Run the gauntlet” … what do they really mean. Two of those expressions go all the way back to the 1600’s; I wonder if anything has changed since then?
Many people might think the phrase the whole nine yards has something to do with football. It has nothing to do with football and there is no consensus on the origin. The most common explanation is from World War II. Most aircraft machine gun belts were nine yards long and if a pilot unloaded all his ammunition on one target then he gave them the whole nine yards; everything he had. Mistakes come from lack of understanding and sometimes lack of understanding simply comes from poor explanations or examples.
The best teachers are the ones who speak the language of their audience.
