What is the role of jargon in communication? With Gabrielle Dolan [Episode 224]

“Move the needle”
“Drill down”
“Ducks in a row”
“Low hanging fruit”
“Gain traction”

…what do all these phrases have in common? They are all examples of tired, cliche jargon – heard frequently in the workplace.

Jargon can be defined as:

Special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand.

If you’ve ever found yourself at the end of a jargon-filled conversation wondering what was actually said, you’re not alone.

This is why Gabrielle Dolan, global thought leader on authentic leadership and business storytelling, is on a mission to eradicate jargon from workplace communication.

As she explains, using jargon is a barrier to clear, authentic communication in the workplace, and can lead to confusion and distrust.

In this conversation, we explore WHY jargon has become commonplace, why it’s a problem, and how we can start to remove it from our vocabulary.

About Gabrielle:

• A highly sought-after keynote speaker, educator and author, Gabrielle has worked with thousands of high-profile leaders from around the world and helped countless of Australia’s top 50 ASX companies and multinationals to humanise their communications.
• Gabrielle is also the bestselling author of Ignite: Real Leadership, Real Talk, Real Results (2015) which reached the top 5 on Australia’s bestselling business books. Click here to check out her latest Wiley publication, Real Communication: How to be you and lead true.
• Gabrielle is also the founder of Jargon Free Fridays, a movement that challenges people in business to go one day a week without speaking any jargon. Are you up for the challenge?