The complex way of speaking, also known as 'plaza language' in daily life, can be one of the biggest barriers to communication in the business world. Unfamiliar 'fancy' words can make employees' ears prick up and make it difficult to understand and therefore fulfill tasks. Famous billionaire Mark Cuban is among those who do not like to use this fancy language. And other billionaires have a similar point of view.
You might be tempted to try using complex words to impress your boss or a potential employer. But using words that belong to a certain jargon that not many people know, when simple and clear words would be preferable, has the opposite effect, according to Mark Cuban.
"Always use simpler words," Cuban said in an interview, according to CNBC. When the billionaire was asked about the "business words" that bother him the most, Cuban immediately responded with an example:
"There is no reason to use the word 'cohort' when you can use the word 'group'. Cohort means a group of people. Say 'group.' When you use the word 'cohort,' you're trying to sound smart, but you sound stupid."
Corporate jargon and buzzwords can often get on the nerves of those who hear them over and over again. Terms like "new normal," "corporate culture," and "feedback" top the list of most annoying examples, according to a survey of more than 1,500 Americans by language learning platform Preply.
Cuban agrees with billionaire Warren Buffett on keeping the language simple. At his annual shareholder meeting in 2019, Buffett said he wrote investor letters as if he were speaking to his two sisters. This, of course, means no jargon words are used.
Elon Musk, the world's richest man, also despises the use of jargon, especially in the workplace.
In a message to Tesla employees in 2018, Musk said, "Do not use acronyms or gibberish for objects, software or processes at Tesla. In general, anything that requires explanation hinders communication. We don't want people to have to memorize a new dictionary just to work at Tesla," he warned.
Using overly complex words to sound smart actually has the opposite effect: Research shows that it makes you sound less intelligent and can complicate your message.
"When we feel insecure, we use jargon to help us feel we have a higher status," Adam Galinsky, Professor of Leadership and Ethics at Columbia Business School, wrote in an August article for the school's website.
According to Galinsky, using overly complex terms when simpler words would easily suffice shows that you are insecure about your own intelligence and creates the impression that you are trying too hard to compensate. Instead, it's better to speak clearly and concisely, according to the researchers.
"People of higher status are more interested in expressing themselves and communicating effectively," Galinsky explained. In other words: Using simple language is the best way to express your thoughts in the most effective way. Expressing yourself in simple language, rather than exaggerating your speech with jargon, is a more likely way to impress the other person.
