Have you ever finished listening to an explanation from a supposed expert in the field and wondered what he just said? In my experience, the more vague, general, or ambiguous an explanation is, the less likely the person making the explanation is in command of the subject. It’s one thing to throw out the latest buzzwords, but quite another to really know what they mean and have the ability to apply them correctly. In today’s blog post I am going to reveal the tricks of those who practice what I call “the black art of confusion.”
Those of you who know me have come to understand that I prefer to get to the point and get to the root of a problem as quickly as possible. While I appreciate the great public speaking skills of those who communicate using wonderful word images or academics who can be eloquent always using the best prose form, I prefer my business communication to be quick and dirty … In the immortal words of Jack Webb: “The facts ma’am … just the facts.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing words because I enjoy and appreciate anyone who masters a great vocabulary (see a previous post titled “Vocabulary … it does matter”), but I don’t have time for a 30 minute explanation of something that could have been, and should have been communicated in 2 minutes … Ahh, the lost art of brevity, but I digress.
What we should all be on guard against are the people (note I didn’t say professionals) who always seem to speak at the 30,000 foot level … A high level overview is fine as a summary, but certainly nothing beyond that. The vocabulary should be a tool to communicate the experience and not mask the lack of it … Let’s define what I call the confusing practices of black art:
1. Job security due to confusionHave you ever had an employee in a particular business unit or practice area imagine that things are so complex that only they can solve your problem? Nothing is too complex to be explained or understood, and no individual is invaluable …
2. Confusion sales: Have you ever participated in such a sophisticated and technical sales presentation that you came to the conclusion that surely “these guys really know what they are doing” and ended up buying something that was not at all what you thought it would be? ? Remember, if someone can’t explain the benefits to you in plain language, the benefits probably don’t exist.
3. Confusion bullying: We’ve probably all had someone who has tried to crush us at some point in our careers … the multi-syllable techno slang used in circular conversation patterns with an authoritarian stance doesn’t mean someone knows what they’re talking about, rather by it usually means that they are trying to dazzle you with a fake glow in an attempt to intimidate.
So what is the best way to deal with the black art of confusion? Force people to justify their positions by being specific … Have these confusion wizards give you examples of relevant experience or ask them to explain their business logic in understandable terms. Make sure your customers, vendors, vendors, partners, investors, and employees know that you value clear, concise, lucid, and accurate communications.
