Familiarity Breeds Contempt  “Turn right at the corner where the water tower used to be.” These directions were recorded by nationally syndicated columnist Molly Ivins in her book Nothin’ but Good Times Ahead. They were said by her aunt to a family of four packed into the front cab of a moving van.

Molly knew very well the small Texas town where her aunt and uncle had always lived. She also knew that her aunt’s directions would have this 21st century Joad family lost as soon as they released the clutch.

George Bernard Shaw said something to the effect that professionals use language as a way of separating themselves from everyone else. Molly’s aunt suffered from the same set of assumptions — that everyone else knew what she did.

Professionals like doctors, lawyers and auto mechanics convey their expert opinions using words and phrases that sound like an every-other-word transmission from the space shuttle. The words themselves are familiar, but the language provides little meaning.

No less indecipherable is technology-driven language. It is not intended to be restrictive but it sure isn’t inclusive. Those with the patois seem almost condescending to those not yet up to speed.

Insider’s Story  Professionals and scientists are not alone in this club of insiders that limit productive communication by using jargon. Most businesses, organizations, foundations, governments, and yes, even the communication industry, pepper their everyday speech with words, phrases and abbreviations they assume we all understand.

Unfortunately, this garbled communication is just as likely to occur between a company and its employees as with its customers, suppliers and the financial community.

What is really at issue is basic empathy and understanding of the other guy’s position. When jargon replaces language it is not only counter-productive and rude, it can even be scary.

A doctor telling a patient they have cancer followed by a spray of technical language can only add to the fear and dread of the experience. While the professional abbreviations and scientific terms are accurate, they also provide the doctor the personal protection of obfuscation. By not having to use words that accurately explain the patient’s condition in a way they can understand, the medical profession has a protective buffer from the feelings in the situation.

Good communication is like a pitcher throwing a ball to a catcher. Each throws the ball close enough for the other person to catch it and return it. Bad communication is like pitching to a batter. The ball is thrown so that the batter can’t make a connection with the it. If we were unfamiliar with baseball, these two activities might appear quite similar. But obviously the intention and the result are completely different.

At Essex Two, we help to prepare, package and deliver our client’s messages to their audiences in ways that promote understanding, appreciation and participation. We know how to play ball. Visit the Essex Two website for case studies that demonstrate our ability to stimulate the success of our clients.

Worth your time:  The book Nothin’ but Good Times Ahead, by Molly Ivins is as funny as she is tough. As one of this country’s most straight-talkin’ and clear-thinkin’ political columnists, she makes it hard not to get what she’s givin’. Her book is first entertainin’ and then thought-provokin.’ She gets away with sayin’ the whole truth because her wit and charm make it difficult, if not impossible, to be angry with her no matter which side of an issue you’re on.