The power of plain language

Overly crafted messages full of corporate jargon that say nothing while trying to say everything are trust killers.

"As we continue to optimize our organizational structure to leverage synergistic opportunities and enhance our value proposition in an increasingly dynamic marketplace, we will be implementing a strategic realignment initiative designed to right-size our human capital resources while maintaining our commitment to operational excellence..."

Wait, what? Employees read this corporate word-salad and the questions begin to swirl: What does this actually mean? Are we getting laid off? Why is this happening? When is this happening? How is this even happening?

The rumor mill is churning, anxiety is spreading, and resistance to whatever change is actually coming has already begun. The very communication intended to introduce change professionally and positively has instead created the exact problems it intended to avoid.

Clarity lost.

AEC leadership teams know it well: the first draft circulates, communications teams work with legal to ensure messages are precise, and multiple leadership review cycles ensure every word is carefully chosen. Firms spend enormous amounts of time and energy crafting change communications messages that sound professional, comprehensive, and polished. The result is often a message that becomes less clear as the process plays out, resulting in communications that are technically accurate but practically useless and so laden with jargon and qualification that they obscure rather than illuminate what's actually happening.

As leaders, we want to sound authoritative and professional. We want to avoid saying anything that might be misinterpreted or create legal complications. We want to demonstrate that we've thought through all the implications and have everything under control. But in trying to sound perfect, it’s easy to sound evasive. In trying to be comprehensive, the message can become muddled and confusing. In trying to control the message, we can lose our audience entirely.

AEC firms that master clear change communication don't just improve current initiatives, they build organizational credibility that makes future changes easier to implement.

Five-dollar words will cost you.

Nothing signals obfuscation more than words like obfuscation. When communication is unclear or overly worked, it creates a predictable cycle that erodes trust and makes change significantly more challenging.

Confusion. People receive communications they don't understand and spend time trying to decode what's really being said. This confusion immediately creates anxiety because people know something important is happening, but they're not sure what it is or, importantly, how it impacts them.

Speculation. Unable to understand official communications, people create their own interpretations. These interpretations are often worse than reality because uncertainty tends to generate worst-case scenario thinking.

Cynicism. As people compare unclear official communications with their own interpretations, they begin to question leadership's motivations. Why aren't they being direct? What are they trying to hide? This cynicism makes people more resistant to future communications.

Resistance. By the time clearer information finally emerges, people have already dug in and formed negative opinions about the change and leadership's handling of it. What might have been a manageable transition becomes a battle against entrenched resistance.

Respect your audience, always.

The antidote to this cycle is surprisingly simple: say what you mean in language people actually use. This doesn't mean dumbing down complex information. It means respecting your audience enough to communicate clearly and directly.

Clear, plain language builds connection and understanding. "We need to reduce costs, which means some positions will be eliminated" is harder to say than "rightsizing," but it's infinitely more respectful and understandable.

Plain language demonstrates respect for your audience by not wasting their time with unnecessary complexity. It reduces the likelihood of misinterpretation by using familiar words and straightforward sentence structures. Most importantly, it builds trust by showing that leadership is willing to communicate directly rather than hiding behind corporate jargon.

The credibility dividend.

AEC firms that master clear change communication don't just improve individual initiatives, they build organizational credibility that makes future changes easier to implement. Employees who have experienced transparent, understandable communication during past changes are more likely to trust leadership during future transitions.

This credibility dividend becomes particularly valuable during complex changes that involve multiple phases or uncertain outcomes. People who trust that they'll receive clear, honest information are more willing to work through ambiguity and support change efforts even when they don't have all the details.