Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

We usually understand one another better when we speak in simple, real-life terms—also know as plain English (for us English speakers).

Please speak in plain English.

Instead of: What are the Key Performance Indicators in your organization this reporting period?

Try this: What keeps you awake at night?

Instead of: Red, Green, or Yellow, how is your project?

Try this: When you are driving home from work, are you thinking about the project or about your home?

The list could go on. Find any “management term” anywhere and translate it to plain English, please.

This is not easy. This does not always work. It does, however, work more often that the other stuff.