Having a large vocabulary is great, but it might alienate people when they don’t know what a word you use means. People would rather feel informed rather than ignorant.
To be affective in communication, make sure that the words you choose are both accurate and simple. Sometimes when people are using more large vocabulary, they might believe that they are being more accurate, when they are actually being distracting.
Below are some commonly used vocabulary words that some people might use that are potentially distracting. Try using their alternatives for a more successful communication:
- Instead of saying morose, say pessimistic
- Instead of saying copacetic, say acceptable
- Instead of saying macabre, say eerie or spooky
When you use simple words people won’t be left wondering what you said, and they will fully understand what you meant.
Are you getting the message? In your meetings, be conscious about your word choice. If you use simple words, you won’t have people leaving the meeting thinking of doing five different things.
For more on interpersonal communication, follow this link to watch another one of Kit Welchin’s informative presentations.
And don’t forget to check back next Monday for another video blog.