Learn words, ask questions

I recently sat in on a marketing call and recorded every buzzword that came up.

It’s quite a long list. And the reason it’s long is two-fold.

One, because people like to hide behind their words. To use jargon (to sound important) rather than speak intelligibly and simply and clean.

And two, because people use jargon as shorthand to explain complex concepts. Which means there are literally dozens of words that one might need to know to know what someone is talking about.

That said, every person in every meeting, lecture, or call has one of three options:

One option is to ignore learning the words altogether. To assume you know you know what you’re hearing, because you don’t have the time to learn what you don’t.

Another is to carefully observe or record when someone says a word you don’t know. And to either look it up or to ask a question to find out the answer.

And, lastly, a third (great for customers, clients, or students) is to refuse to work with anyone who can’t manage to explain the meaning behind the words they’re using to describe what it is they’re saying.

Because, if they can’t explain what it is they’re doing or saying, you probably shouldn’t pay for what they’re selling, or even listen to what they’re espousing.