Say What You Mean: The Leadership Power of Clear Language
If you think your team didn’t get the memo, there’s a solid chance it’s because your memo wasn’t clear.
We all do it. We write an email, draft a slide, deliver a presentation, thinking we nailed it. But somewhere between our mouth (or keyboard) and their ears (or inbox), the message gets murky. Suddenly, that deadline isn’t met, that deliverable misses the mark, and everyone’s frustrated.
Let’s cut to it: Clear communication isn’t optional. It’s the whole game.
Why This Matters: Clarity Is a Leadership Skill
Clear communication isn’t just about being understood. It’s about:
Building trust
Driving action
Reducing friction
Boosting efficiency
If you want to lead, inspire, or influence anyone, you need to say what you mean, and mean what you say. Confusion costs time, money, and credibility. Clarity? It builds momentum.
Here’s How to Be Clearer, Starting Now
1. Cut the Fluff
Avoid the $10 words when the $1 version works just fine. Nobody needs to "utilize" when they can "use." And please, for the love of all things efficient, skip the corporate buzzwords. "Synergy" isn’t impressing anyone.
2. Ditch Passive Voice
Passive: "The project was completed by the team."
Active: "The team completed the project."
Passive voice buries the action. Active voice clarifies it.
3. Simplify Your Sentences
Long, rambling sentences force readers (and listeners) to work too hard. Say what you mean in as few words as possible. If your sentence has a comma, a parenthesis, and a semicolon? Rewrite it.
4. Avoid Weak Openers
Phrases like "It is believed that..." or "There are several reasons..." dilute your message. Who believes it? What are the reasons? Be specific. Be direct.
5. Lead with the Point
Don’t bury the lede. If there’s one thing you want people to remember, say it early and say it often. Everything else supports that core message.
Strategic Truth: Complex Language Often Hides Weak Thinking
Using big words when they’re not appropriate or convoluted lingo anytime doesn't make you sound smart. It makes you sound insecure and/or unclear. True mastery shows up in simplicity. When your message is clear, you invite alignment, not just agreement.
Perhaps when this is most important is when we try to differentiate ourselves, products, or ideas. When we try to describe innovative thinking, the last thing to do is be unclear in what you’re talking about (read Double Forte’s blog post on this here).
Final Word
Before you write that email, lead that meeting, or publish that post, ask yourself:
Do I know what I want to say?
Is my language active, simple, and specific?
Can my audience walk away with a clear understanding
Because if they’re confused, that’s on you.
So next time you open your mouth (or your laptop), commit to clarity. Your team — and your results — will thank you.
Check out Lee’s podcast on the topic here!