Successful professionals know how to clearly communicate complex subjects.
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Trying to make a topic sound complex does not make people think you are smart. It makes them think that you can’t communicate well. Successful professionals know how to clearly communicate complex subjects. Here are five steps to help you translate complex concepts into easy to understand language:
1. If the sentence you are reading does not make sense to you, reread it.
Review what does not make sense to you. Your natural reaction may be to think, “Huh?” Or ask yourself, “What did I read?” Be disciplined and reread what you do not understand.
2. Research unfamiliar terms. Think, using your own language, what the term means.
Identify the words and phrases that you are unclear about. Google the terms. If the first definition or explanation you read does not help, continue to look at other sources. Keep digging and looking at reputable sources until you find a source that explains the issue in a way that you understand. Don’t give up. Breaking down complexity requires investigation.
3. Reread the sentence, and plug in the language that makes sense to you.
Once you have an understanding of what a particular term means, seek to understand the context in which it was used. How was the term or concept used?
4. Put in writing how you understand the issue.
Translate the complex subject into words that you understand, and write those words down. Force yourself to understand the issue as clearly as possible.
Don’t take the easy route and keep concepts complex. Communicating unclearly suggests that either you did not do the work to make it clear or did not understand the idea yourself. Successful professionals do the work that is required to communicate clearly.
5. Once you’ve written the concept down in simpler language, ask yourself, “Will other people understand this?”
Even when you understand a complex topic, your work is not done. The next question to ask yourself is, “Will people understand what I am saying?” How you think about a subject may not be clear to others. Take that extra step to ensure you are communicating clearly by asking your colleagues to review the language or messaging you use. Seek feedback on your writing. Your work will have little value if other people don’t understand what you are saying.
Question what you don’t know, and do the work to understand it in your own terms. Once you understand, gather feedback from others to ensure they understand the concept the same way you do.
What helps you to communicate clearly? Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn.
