Watch Your Language
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
– Mark Twain
Talk is…
You’re reading the latest, highly enthusiastic announcement from a Physical Therapy practice you adore. The highly trained Physical Therapists and the Miracle Worker Office Manager are bright, capable, personable, caring, and have substantially helped you regain your strength and mobility after you slipped on a banana peel and broke your arm. Good thing neither leg was involved so you could continue the only Exercise you do – walking your neighborhood 3-4 times a week.
What IS that?
As you read a recent email of about 10 short paragraphs, you notice a repeated reference to something called F45. In fact almost every sentence glowingly mentions F45.
Okay, already, what the heck is F45? You read and reread in hopes of gaining an understanding of what it is so you can decide if this is something that would benefit or interest you. The only clue you see to give you even half an idea of at least a context was the word “sweaty.” However, that still leaves you in the dark and somewhat hesitant.
It COULD be…
Much as you try, you are clueless about whether it’s a protein powder, a workout system, a piece of equipment, the password to a secret club accessible only by referencing F45, or something else. It becomes obvious that your Physical Therapy practice is joyfully announcing some kind of a joint venture that involves them and F45 that you’re being invited to test by experiencing something on a particular date and time at a particular place. The invitation is being offered only to the patients at the Physical Therapy practice where you are on the path of recovery for your broken arm.
Uh Oh
Still clueless, even though the word “sweaty” was anything BUT inviting to you personally, you’re curious. You come to the conclusion the author of that email invitation was not intentionally attempting to withhold information from you or lay a verbal trail of breadcrumbs landing at the Big Reveal, telling you what F45 is. The writer simply did not realize there are people who would not have any remote idea what F45 is!
Sounds Sorta Like
The people at the Physical Therapy practice are speaking a language often known as “Industry Jargon.” There are many dialects of this language. Because you live in a different environment where your unique Industry Jargon dialect is a different native language, it is quite possible you’re unaware of when you do slip into yours.
Easily and quickly flipping back and forth between Industry Jargon and other languages from outside your community leaves those around you confused and left out. They may also have other feelings about this that may not be communicated other than through their wallet. All of that is the opposite outcome of your greatest wishes, desires, hopes, dreams, plans, and intentions for those you work diligently to serve well in your business.
If Only
You have people who want what you offer once they are crystal clear about what it is! By communicating primarily in your natural Industry Jargon dialect, rather than attract people to you and your expertise, you’re inadvertently sending them away. That leaves you wondering, testing complex, costly solutions, missing the root cause, falling short of your goal.
They Don’t Know What I Didn’t Tell Them?
The assumptions you make in your business and the assumptions the wonderful people at your Physical Therapy practice are making can be difficult to identify and correct from within the business. It’s possible to catch the Industry Jargon words, though the language may be so ingrained in the mind of the professionals that it might not even be recognized as Industry Jargon. In each case, the dialect spoken within each organization is fully understood among those IN the business.
Then what’s the solution? It’s easier than you may think, and be a “duh…why didn’t I think of that?” moment. (By the way, if not considered a rhetorical question, the answer is “Because you didn’t think of it, that’s all!)
A Solution
Ask an otherwise intelligent being of any realistic age, gender identity, Education, or relationship to you who has minimal or no knowledge of your Industry Jargon dialect to read, view, or listen to whatever you created. Request that they let you know anything and everything that was unclear to them.
They might point out an individual word here and there or be confused by a sentence or phrase they found confusing.
If you’re fortunate to have another willing participant, ask one more person to do the same. Each person has different experiences and knowledge. Multiple people will make different contributions refining what you created.
Variations on a Solution
Several sources beyond potentially obvious choices of who to involve in this refinement process may be in a high school or college class, a senior citizens group or residence, or someone interested in doing volunteer work. The more obvious people could be spouse, friend, neighbor, family, or extended family. Input from these helpers will shine a bright light on what you have been in the dark about with your Industry Jargon dialect.
