communication. Unfortunately, business jargon tends to be so vague that people have vastly differing interpretations of the same words or phrases. Because of this, jargon does major damage to a corporation’s ability to convey meaning to its members. If this causes staff to feel alienated, there can be a breakdown in communication. What should you as a writer do to communicate clearly? First of all, be aware of the fact that the process of interpretation is terribly complex. People interpret words in a variety of contexts, such as upbringing, society and the organisation’s culture. Com- munication with stakeholders, particularly those with widely differing interests, needs and emotional states, makes your job as a writer all the more challenging. It is your responsibility to critically evaluate what you write and how that can be interpreted. In particular, you should constantly ask - and answer - a very simple question: what does this mean? Ask this of every word, every sentence, every paragraph and every chapter, until it becomes second nature. This question helps you to step outside your own frame of reference and critically evaluate the words, structure or style used. If such a simple technique were used consistently, business jargon would be used less frivolously. Another way to aid the process of interpretation is to take the reader by the hand with constructions like ‘which means that’ or ‘as a result of which’. It also helps to start a sentence with constructions like ‘This leads to’, ‘That contributes to’ or ‘As a result of this’. These constructions create bridges between a previous sentence and an expla- nation or elaboration and helps the reader - and sometimes yourself - make sense of what is being communicated. The meaning of goals and purpose in organisations You just read how the principle of meaning can help you to be more precise in your use of language. This principle can also be applied to the organisation as a whole, specifically when you want to explain how something will affect the organisation. For example, the introduction of a performance-based pay system will change the way people are motivated and how they relate to each other. Outlining the strategic rationale for such a change – say, dealing with increased competition – targets sta- keholders at an intellectual level and helps people see the logic of change. This helps people understand the underlying business case and how it impacts their own plans and targets. But winning the hearts of people, which is needed to get them to change their at- titude and behaviour, requires you to address the meaning of such change in terms of c a p t u r e . d e l i ve r . e x ce l . m e a ni n g 41 42 w w w . c a p t u r e d el i v e r e x ce l . co m their values, beliefs and ambitions. Rather than just dealing with the needs and inte- rests of stakeholders you should relate to your readers’ identity as well. This requires you to connect change and its desired outcome to meaning. Now, meaning on an organisational level can be clarified by asking simple questions like - What does this mean to the organisation? - How does this affect our stakeholders and the way they do things on a day- to-day basis? - How will this change our ability to achieve our goals? - How will this change our ability to relate to others inside and outside of the organisation? - How will this change our culture? - What will this do to our market position? As a rule of thumb, the more significant the organisational change, the more the change means to people. Identifying and addressing this gap in communicating with people is crucial to the success of the change process. Answering the question ‘what does X mean to Y’ for each of your stakeholders is a simple yet effective way of con- necting with your readers. If you are looking for a simple way to put this into writing, use the ‘[Statement], meaning [consequence]‘ format. For example: - We are facing more competition, meaning we need to develop new products. - We have incurred higher costs, meaning we will have to lay off staff. - This team has met all its targets, meaning team members have earned a bonus. Instead of using only this construction throughout the text, you can use the following alternatives: - as a result of which - which translates into c a p t u r e . d e l i ve r . e x ce l . m e a ni n g 43 44 w w w . c a p t u r e d el i v e r e x ce l . co m - which leads to - as a consequence - this causes A final note of caution: do not see the principle of meaning as a tedious and simplistic step in the writing process. It does not mean helping readers less perceptive than you understand what you believe is painfully obvious. Rather, you should see it as a very subtle, yet highly powerful way of influencing your readers’ mindset. Describing an event or labelling an emotion, forces your readers to consider things from your perspective. It’s like telling people “not to think of a pink elephant”, when you know most people will not be able to think of anything else. Whether readers agree with you or not, the very act of determining meaning gives you as the writer unprecedented influence over your reader. Use this power prudently and humbly. c a p t u r e . d e l i ve r . e x ce l . m e a ni n g 45 46 w w w . c a p t u r e d el i v e r e x ce l . co m Substance Writing gains in meaning and credibility when it is substantiated. Factual statements and ambitious claims should be verified or elaborated. Substantiation leads to com- munication that empowers and respects stakeholders. Spin is common in business, where fierce competition can prompt organisations to exaggerate. Suddenly, every organisation is a leader in some field or other and every product is the result of cutting-edge technology. With their competitors shouting at the same pitch, the result is a chorus that is dull, predictable and, to those the fluff is intended for, annoying. To be fair, there is no harm in laying a claim to fame. A claim to leadership, superiority or excellence can help organisations appear better than their competitors. A company’s vision and mission are often ambitious, and companies need to be ambitious if they are to remain competitive. It is not unreasonable to use a persuasive approach to rally members of the organisation behind the company’s mission and vision. The question is: how do you balance ambition with prudence in a way that is credible yet appealing? Today, your stakeholders are significantly more demanding, informed, and opiniona- ted. This is due to more consumer-friendly legislation, the power of litigation, and the empowering effect of technology. As a result of this, stakeholders - whether they are consumers, investors, staff, regulators etc. - need to be approached in a different way. Empowerment and respect are keys to this new approach. Empowerment means enabling stakeholders to make judgements of their own, rather than force-feeding them biased views from headquarters. Respect means that you communicate with stakeholders in a mature and intelligent way, instead of assuming that people will buy any old claim just because it says so on the box. The willingness to believe the organisation is no longer unconditional and everlasting. To avoid expensive litigation or damage to your reputation, business writers need to practise the fourth principle: substance. Substance means content that is significant, complementary and verifiable. In other words: substance means something to people, the fourth principle c a p t u r e . d e l i ve r . e x ce l . s ub s ta n ce 47 48 w w w . c a p t u r e d el i v e r e x ce l . co m adds something to what they already know or feel and hasn’t been corrupted by spin. Substance can take various forms: - Case studies, for example to substantiate claims of market leadership or the company’s capabilities in a particular area. Case studies can be simple descriptions of a particular problem, its solution and the result. Instead of just saying something abstract like ‘we develop leaders in the banking sector’, you can describe how one of your clients felt the need to teach senior managers people skills, what program was developed and the result. - Testimonials from users, who share their experiences with your organisation’s products or services. Happy customers and employees are the most credible ambassadors a company can have. Giving them a voice can help prospective clients or talent decide whether your company is right for them. - Research from independent organisations, such as reviews from technology websites or professional research institutes. In Europe, for example, cars can be tested for safety by Euro NCAP. Their star rating is frequently used in ads of automobile makers to substantiate their car safety claims. - Formal recognition from reputable and neutral parties (such as those awar- ding ISO certification or Investor in People accreditation), particularly when they compare organisations to objective criteria. - Visible action, to substantiate promises or allow people to experience some- thing for themselves. Companies can claim they care for the environment, however; if all head office employees ride to work on company bicycles, the statement is more credible. - Have other stakeholders confirm your claim. While it’s easy for the CEO to say the company has improved conditions at its Asian factories, it is far more persuasive to have an NGO say they verified the claim and agree the workers are better off. c a p t u r e . d e l i ve r . e x ce l . s ub s ta n ce 49 50 w w w . c a p t u r e d el i v e r e x ce l . co m . see the logic of change. This helps people understand the underlying business case and how it impacts their own plans and targets. But winning the hearts of people, which is needed to get them. will affect the organisation. For example, the introduction of a performance-based pay system will change the way people are motivated and how they relate to each other. Outlining the strategic. due to more consumer-friendly legislation, the power of litigation, and the empowering effect of technology. As a result of this, stakeholders - whether they are consumers, investors, staff, regulators