Stuck reading papers or strategies packed with phrases like, ‘optimising customer-centric synergies’ or ‘driving alignment’? As you’ll agree, writing like this rarely indicates strategic depth. More often, it reveals a lack of clarity about what is actually happening on the ground.
Unclear, buzzword-heavy writing is like a tax on executive bandwidth. When senior leaders have to read between the lines to understand basic operational facts, decision-making stalls and accountability vanishes.
Simply put, vague communication is just as dangerous in everyday leadership as it is in formal reporting.
The cost of imprecise directives
A family friend – a cabbie at the time – once got tired of passenger rudeness and put a sign on his door reading, ‘Compliment your cabbie’. The next morning, two passengers hailed him. One got in and said, ‘Nice U-turn.’ The other slid in the back, looked at him and said, ‘Great hairstyle’. They’d followed our cabbie’s instructions but because the directive lacked precision, the outcome was absurd.
In corporate environments, we see this exact pattern play out any time managers send vague requests:
- Imprecise: ‘Call me at your earliest possible convenience’
- Precise: ‘Call me before 3pm today regarding the budget sign-off’
- Imprecise: ‘Fwd: please see attached’
- Precise: ‘Board briefing at 10am tomorrow – please review the attached HR risk audit beforehand’
Too many professionals are unaware of the so-called illusion of transparency – our cognitive bias to assume that others understand our context and intentions far better than they actually do. When senior technical specialists write, they often use high-level jargon because the details feel obvious to them. But to a busy decision-maker, this kind of language simply conceals meaning.
The art of writing with intent
To strip out corporate waffle and ensure your team writes with intent, encourage them to follow three rules:
- Say it aloud first – Before drafting, state the core point in plain speech. We rarely use jargon when speaking face-to-face; conversation naturally forces simplicity.
- Swap long-winded phrases with clear actions – Replace ‘driving strategic alignment across cross-functional groups’ with ‘getting both departments to agree on the project timeline’.
- Focus on concrete outcomes – Ensure every recommendation answers three simple questions: What is happening? What does it cost? What action is required?
The AI bridge: A jargon circuit-breaker
Generative AI is an exceptional tool for stripping fluff out of technical drafts. However, rather than using AI to generate text, leaders should train their teams to use it as a filter to catch bad habits.
Before submitting a document to executive teams, try running your text through this prompt:
‘Act as a chief operating officer who values brevity. Review this draft update and highlight any buzzwords, vague corporate jargon or abstract phrasing. After I agree, rewrite it to be direct and precise, replacing high-level assertions with clear operational facts.’
This quick step ensures your team delivers sharp, actionable insights that respect executive time.
Bring strategic writing precision to your organisation
When technical teams and managers hide behind corporate buzzwords, it slows down execution and obscures real performance. If your senior leaders or specialist teams need practical frameworks to write with clarity, brevity and precision, then we should talk.
I deliver practical, targeted corporate communication workshops for leaders and technical teams. Reach out to discuss custom training options for your organisation.
