The Importance of Clarity Over Jargon

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

My mother was a professor who hated jargon. She has no patience for buzzwords, convoluted explanations, or people who use big words to mask simple ideas.   This was true in her field. And in general.   She’s the kind who can take a messy, overcomplicated paragraph and turn it into one clean, precise sentence.   Growing up, I’d watch her listen to someone talk in circles and then she'd say, “Perhaps we can summarize as…” And she’d nail it in ten words.   I didn’t realize how valuable that skill was until I started leading a fast-moving company.   Because inside most organizations, the biggest communication problems come from a lack of clarity.   The truth is that communication over distance, across geographies, time zones, disciplines, needs to be simple and clear and precise. Short messages travel. Long messages don’t. (Shannon observed this long before I did)   In Silicon Valley, I find people hide behind jargon. Sometimes using 500 words when 20 would do, mistaking sounding smart for smart thinking.   I was taught the opposite.   If you truly understand something, you should be able to explain it simply. Simplicity is a sign of mastery.   As Cerebras has grown, that lesson has become more important than ever.   And with 750 people in different time zones, communicating well is not optional and it is something I think about every day.   Clear thinking → clear communication → clear execution.

I have a hypothesis about why some salespeople sound like robots. They sell complex products, so they think they need a lot of specialized jargon to explain them. I also suspect salespeople believe they need to sound professional. The problem? Jargon and corporate-speak are counterproductive. They confuse your message. As Donald Miller says, “When you confuse, you lose.” How can we make the “sales voice” go away? Notice the difference between this sentence: “Our onboarding process ensures a comprehensive understanding of our product’s capabilities.” And this sentence: “We’ll walk you through everything to make sure you’re comfortable and ready to roll.” Before: “You may customize your dashboard settings to align with your specific preferences.” After: “Set up your dashboard just the way you like it.” Before: “Our platform provides a 360-degree view of customer interactions, enabling comprehensive insights and streamlined data access.” After: “See everything about your customers in one place.” Imagine explaining your product to a friend over coffee—not a room full of executives. Use short sentences, plain language, and words they’d actually say in real life. Instead of “optimize efficiencies,” try “make it easier.” Instead of “comprehensive insights,” say “see the big picture.” The goal is clarity, not complexity. When your message is easy to understand, people feel like you’re talking with them, not at them. And that’s when trust—and sales—happen.

Early in my career as a digital marketer, I thought success meant mastering the most complex strategies and impressing everyone with advanced jargon. But one moment changed everything. I was working on a campaign strategy for local business, an automotive dealer, struggling to see results from digital ads. I spent hours with their agency tweaking keywords, refining audience segments, and optimizing budgets. Yet, during a meeting, the Dealer said something that stopped me in my tracks: “We don’t need fancy terms. Just tell us how we can get more people through the door.” It was humbling—and eye-opening. I realized that the true skill of a digital marketer isn’t just technical expertise but the ability to translate complexity into actionable insights. I went back to the drawing board, reframing the campaign into a simple strategy on a page. I think it primarily worked because they understood . Within weeks, they saw foot traffic double. That experience taught me that the real value I bring to the table is clarity, not complexity. Lesson: The best digital marketing strategies aren’t necessarily the most complex—they’re the ones that drive real results for real people. Have you ever had to change your approach to achieve better outcomes?

Ever sat in a restaurant, starving, and opened the menu… ...only to have NO CLUE what to order? Instead of "Steak and mashed potatoes," you get: “Charcoal-seared Wagyu bavette, Yukon Gold espuma, fermented black garlic jus, foraged woodland greens.” → A fancy menu works in expensive restaurants. → It doesn’t work when marketing yourself online. Because if people don’t understand what you do, they won’t ask for your help. The brain defaults to clarity and safety. It’s called cognitive fluency - the easier something is to understand, the more we trust it. If it feels complicated, we assume it’s risky. That’s why, when we’re unsure, we go with the safest option. And that’s exactly why so many people struggle to attract clients. Because their messaging is the equivalent of “foraged woodland greens.” If you want to make choosing you an easy decision, strip out the complexity. The 10-Word Clarity Test → Write what you do in 10 words. → Ask “HOW?” → Rewrite in 10 words. → Repeat until you can’t simplify further. At the end, you’ll have a sharp, specific statement. → Clarity creates confidence. → Confidence builds trust. → Trust brings clients to you. You’re damn good at what you do. Don’t lose out because of a lack of clarity. Would you pass the 10-word test? 

Tech jargon smothers great ideas. We see it every day at Motto® Brilliant innovations and products are hidden under complex language their customers can’t understand. Why? ⦿ We forget what it feels like to be a beginner. ⦿ Our internal lingo becomes a crutch, creating distance. ⦿ We mistakenly equate simplicity with lack of depth. But your tech isn't the only hero — what it does for the customer is. So, speak more human. Show how you make lives better. Instead of "Leveraging blockchain for decentralized finance solutions”... …say, "Helping people control their money without middlemen." See the difference? One confuses, and the other connects. Smart tech brands are catching on. Clear language doesn't diminish expertise — it *showcases* it. When people get you, they want you. To make this shift… → Use simple, relatable words → Focus on benefits, not features → Talk to your customers and listen to how they describe you → Test your message with non-tech people → Explain your tech like you're talking to a curious friend When you land this, something incredible happens: People see precisely how your tech fits their lives. You’re no longer just another tech company— You're a problem-solver people need. Clear language isn't dumbing down… …it's amplifying your impact.

It was the final round of a startup pitch competition, and I was called to judge. The teams were 20, 21-year-olds — super bright, sharp, passionate. And as the first team started presenting… "I was stunned." Not by the idea. But by the language. Every sentence was so heavy, so loaded with jargon, so “overly structured” that I felt I needed a 30-second pause after every line — just to absorb what they were trying to say. Things like: “We’re moving toward greener pastures through AI-led optimization of customer and labor forces to harness market sentiment.” Translation? We want more customers. We’ll use AI. That’s it. 😵💫 And here’s the thing — I don’t blame the students. I blame the system. Because somewhere along the line, we were taught that: The more complicated you sound, the smarter you look. The more jargon you use, the more “funded” your startup will seem. The longer the sentence, the better the answer. Remember school exams? A five-mark answer? You couldn’t just write it in one line — even if it was right. You had to drag it out, explain the obvious in 4 paragraphs, and then maybe… maybe… you'd get full marks. And this same mindset has travelled with us — into pitches, boardrooms, and even stock market shows. Have you ever seen a mid-level fund manager speak on TV? Pure jargon. I’ve been in the stock market since 2010 — and even I need time to digest what they say sometimes. But now watch a great investor — someone truly seasoned and confident. Their language? Simple. Clear. Effortless. Because clarity is power. And the smarter you really are, the simpler you speak. Sure, I get it — complicated words can impress. They can even intimidate. But if you really want to connect, speak simply. And personally, if I meet someone who explains things in simple language, with clarity, no fluff — My respect for that person goes way up. Moral of the Story: The best way to stand out is to talk simply and logically. You will win any room. Feel free to share your thoughts with me and follow for more such observations. Yours Truly Goela

I’ll admit it—I’ve used my fair share of acronyms Terms like KPI, OKR, and ROI roll off the tongue so easily that it feels natural. But here’s the problem: while acronyms might save us a moment, they can cost us clarity, trust, and inclusivity. Imagine hearing this in a meeting: “We need to focus on the KPI impact of our OKRs to boost ROI across the P&L.” You're not alone if you’re secretly confused but too polite to ask. Acronyms can leave others feeling left out and unsure. Here’s why I’m challenging myself (and encouraging you!) to cut back on acronym overload: ☑ Clarity Beats Complexity ↳ Clear language is essential for problem-solving and collaboration. ☑ Inclusion Drives Engagement ↳ Acronyms alienate those unfamiliar with them—new hires, cross-functional teammates, or clients. Speak plainly to create connection and understanding. ☑ Trust Comes From Transparency ↳ Trust grows when people understand your message. Plain language eliminates the risk of misinterpretation and builds confidence. Before you use an acronym, ask yourself: - Will everyone understand this? - Am I prioritizing efficiency over clarity? I’m committed to clearer, more inclusive communication. Are you? After all, a brilliant strategy is useless if no one understands it. Ps. If you like content like this, please follow me 😀

We’re not hiring better designers. We’re hiring better buzzwords. I recently watched two UX designers interview for a senior product design role at a fintech company. Both were talented, but their introductions couldn’t have been more different. The first candidate spoke fluently in job description language: “I’ve built scalable design systems in Figma, collaborated cross-functionally in agile sprints, and led end-to-end usability testing.” It sounded impressive and perfectly aligned with the posting. The second one explained things in plain English: “I created a shared library that helped engineers ship faster and simplified the onboarding flow so new users stopped dropping off.” No jargon. Just results. Guess who got hired? The first one, because they sounded more senior. A few months later, the team realized the person couldn’t handle real-world design problems beyond templates and handoffs. Meanwhile, the second designer joined another company and led projects that made a measurable difference for users and teams. That’s the flaw in how we hire. We reward people who sound right, not those who think right. Recruiters often match words, not understanding, because the system values familiarity over depth. If you’re a designer in this environment, learn to tell your story in a way that connects. Don’t just talk about tools. Talk about what changed because of your work. Clarity always outlasts jargon.

Strategies Fail When No One Says the Obvious In companies, communication isn’t a skill. It’s a leadership discipline. When things go wrong, people usually point to strategy, talent, or culture. But scratch the surface, and it’s almost always communication that failed first. Not the lack of talking. The lack of clarity. The lack of honesty. The lack of consistency. I’ve led companies through growth, turnaround, and crisis—and the one constant is this: when communication is clear and regular, everything else becomes possible. When it’s muddled or filtered, even great plans stall. You can’t outsource it. You can’t hide behind comms teams. You can’t assume people “get it.” And let’s be honest—corporate speak is a complete waste of time. No one—including the speaker—actually believes it. Say what you mean, and say it in plain language. Clarity builds trust. Jargon kills it. You need to say it clearly, say it often, and check that it landed. Not once. Every day. Confusion creates drag. Alignment creates velocity. If you’re not communicating with intent, you’re leaving performance, trust, and momentum on the table. At Nokia and Inmarsat, I had the privilege of working with outstanding Communications and HR teams. They weren’t just support functions—they were strategic partners who shaped culture, enabled clarity, and built trust at every level of the organisation. When internal comms and HR work hand-in-glove, they don’t just amplify the message—they accelerate the mission. Personally, I repeat the most important messages until I’m tired of hearing them—because that’s usually when people are just starting to absorb them.