Clarity, not jargon,
builds real credibility

How small changes in word choice can transform understanding across your organization

By Angela Civitella

Revised, April 12, 2026

The business world is still flooded with unnecessary jargon and “corporate-speak” – language that often confuses co-workers and customers instead of helping them understand what you really mean. In meetings, emails and presentations, vague buzzwords can easily replace clear, concrete ideas, leaving people unsure about what to do next.

Colleagues may nod along without truly understanding, while clients quietly disengage or lose confidence. In a fast-moving, hybrid workplace, this kind of unclear communication wastes time, undermines trust and makes collaboration harder than it needs to be. Choosing plain, direct language is no longer just a stylistic preference; it is a practical leadership skill that shows respect for people’s time, attention and diverse backgrounds.

Think about phrases like “boil the ocean” (try to do the impossible), “circle back” (follow up), or “blue-sky thinking” (brainstorming). These may sound familiar, but they often add noise rather than clarity. And when your words baffle or irritate your team, you risk alienating them or losing their goodwill — especially when you are communicating something important.

The business world is overflowing with unnecessary jargon, words that do more to confuse co-workers and customers than to help them.

Jargon, however, is not always the enemy. Technical language can be very useful when it is used with the right people, in the right context, and in an inclusive way. In Canada’s bilingual, multicultural, and increasingly hybrid workplaces, this balance matters more than ever.

In this updated article, we look at how jargon can reduce the clarity and accessibility of your communication, how it can affect your authority as a leader, and how to eliminate the wrong kind of jargon while using the right kind effectively — in both English and French, and across diverse teams.

What is jargon?

Business jargon in this category is the kind that is rightly criticized. For example:

“Let’s run that up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes.” Why not simply say, “Let’s try this out and see what people think”?
“Let’s open the kimono on that.” Instead, say, “Let’s share the details”.

The second definition — the technical terminology of a specialty — is where the right kind of jargon lives. Technical terms can quickly and efficiently explain a specific concept to a specialized audience. Project managers, for example, understand agile, sprint and scrum immediately, while colleagues outside that field may find them opaque. Using specialist language can be appropriate and even preferable, as long as you match your audience’s level of knowledge and avoid excluding people.

‘Using specialist language can be appropriate and even preferable, as long as you match your audience’s level of knowledge and avoid excluding people.’

However, technical terms can quickly and effectively explain a specific activity or meaning to a specialized audience. The key here is knowing who you are delivering the message to. A group of project managers would greet words such as agile, sprint, and scrum with a collective nod. An audience of people with no knowledge of project management, on the other hand, would likely be left scratching their heads.

Using specialist jargon or language is appropriate – or even preferable – as long as you match your audience’s level of knowledge. This is because, in one short word or phrase, you can convey a complex concept or a technical process to them quickly and efficiently. However, it is vital that you use the right words for the right people and avoid complicating your message.

Five ways jargon hinders good communication

1. It excludes people
   Jargon can act as a code that signals, “I’m part of the club,” while making others feel like outsiders. People who do not understand the terms — because they are new, from another culture, or working in their second language — may feel foolish or shut out for no good reason. In bilingual Canadian workplaces, English-only buzzwords or untranslated acronyms can quickly create an “in-group” and an “out-group.”
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2. It’s complex
   You risk sounding pompous or distant when you overcomplicate your language. You can say “contact” instead of “reach out to,” “analyze” rather than “drill down,” or “clarify” instead of “double-click on that.” Plain language principles emphasize that information should be easy to find, understand, and use the first time people read or hear it.
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3. It can be confusing
   You can lose your audience’s attention quickly, especially if you’re working with remote, cross-cultural, or bilingual teams. Metaphors that seem obvious to you may not translate at all — literally or culturally. An English idiom that makes sense in Toronto might fall flat in Montréal or with internationally based team members.
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4. It may be misleading
   Saying, “Our exploratory research points to a range of balanced options going forward, and we’re assimilating the data sets to create top-line metrics,” can be a way of avoiding a simple, honest statement like, “We don’t have the answer yet.” In a Canadian regulatory context that increasingly values transparency and accessibility, vague language can undermine trust.
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5. It can undermine your authority
   If you hide behind a wall of jargon, your team may feel that you are not being open or that you lack confidence. Leaders who speak clearly, in both official languages where appropriate, tend to build stronger credibility and more collaborative environments. When people understand you — and feel included by your language — they are more likely to trust you and engage with your message.

How to deliver a clear, inclusive message

Being able to communicate in a direct, accessible way can substantially boost your standing as a leader and manager, particularly in a Canadian, bilingual, and diverse workplace. Here are five practical tips:

1. Say it out loud
   Reading your draft out loud helps you hear where your language sounds stiff, overly technical, or overly literal. If a sentence feels awkward or “heavy” in English or French, simplify it until it sounds like something you would naturally say to a colleague.
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2. Use stories, examples and evidence
   Instead of “We need to leverage opportunities around a core of millennial-centred deliverables,” explain what you found and what it means. For example: “Our focus groups with younger clients showed that they want clearer pricing and more flexible options.” Concrete examples pull you away from empty jargon.
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3. Ask: “Would this term be clear in another language?”
   Jargon fans often invent words or mash several together, such as “bouncebackability” or “recontextualize.” Ask yourself: “Would this make sense to a colleague working in their second language, or in translation?” If not, replace it with a simpler, standard term that’s easy to translate accurately.
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4. Think about your audience and the communication context
   Step back and ask, “Why am I saying it this way?” Are you using a phrase because it truly clarifies your message, or because it’s trendy or convenient? In Canada, also consider where and how your message appears: email, Teams/Slack, intranet, client proposal, or public-facing document — and whether it must be available in both English and French for compliance or customer experience reasons.
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5. Don’t be afraid of the jargon you do need — just frame it well
   Knowing and understanding the “language” of your role is important because it means you can use it confidently and, if you’re on the receiving end, keep up with what the other person is saying.

A simple approach to complex language

The writer George Orwell was a great advocate of using language clearly and concisely. In fact, “management speak,” or corporate slang, is a reference to his term “newspeak,” which he used to describe the propaganda language of Big Brother supporters in his classic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

‘Jargon can be a code that people use to impress others or to deliberately make the point that they are part of the club.’

In some organizations, however, being clear, concise, and straightforward in your communications can be seen as “dumbing down,” while using long, complicated words can be seen as more impressive.

You should certainly avoid coming across as condescending to your audience, but being direct and transparent in what you say or write is not the same as being patronizing. You can still be clear and concise while using authoritative, technical language by simplifying and explaining complex aspects of your message wherever necessary.

Feature image:  Hamza Samad – PexelsMore articles by Angela Civitella
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