HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Lose the Jargon

Have you ever listened to a presenter who sounded supersmart—without having any idea what she really said?

Each field has its own lexicon, filled with words that are familiar to experts but foreign to everyone else. Even different departments within the same organization use niche language and acronyms that mean nothing to other groups. And the more companies and individuals innovate within their areas of expertise, the bigger and gnarlier their vocabularies get.

Unless you’re presenting to a roomful of specialists cut from the same cloth, don’t assume that everyone will understand your jargon. Modify your language so it resonates with the people whose support and influence you need. If they can’t follow your ideas, they won’t ...