Acronyms

The company I work for decided to change banks after being with a particular establishment for years.  Because of the length of time with the old bank, little thought had previously been given about what was needed in a new institution.  So, after doing research, a local bank was chosen as the new bank.  A team met and a plan was formulated about what financial products we needed and how the transition should occur.  Accounts were established and a training timeline was determined.

However, during the introductory meeting there were some red flags signaling that not all the parties were on the same page or having a shared understanding.  Acronyms were used by the bank employees that didn’t make sense to those of us attending from my company.  We attempted to ask clarifying questions, but I think our lack of knowledge and fear of being embarrassed shut down our willingness to ask more probing questions.  As a result, we signed up for a set of financial products believed to be fitting of our needs.

Shortly after this process, we received a little machine in the mail from a bank.  It was absolutely foreign to us.  But we asked no questions, moved forward with the training regimen, and signed up for our first educational session.  It quickly became evident during this training that we had been signed up for a platform far more robust than our needs.  Further, the products we had been assigned didn’t communicate with the accounting software we utilize.  About ten minutes into this meeting, I stopped the session and asked if the bankers could use language other than acronyms and banking phrases.  I then asked if they could communicate with us using simple terms.  Thankfully, we had a fabulous trainer, and she quickly assessed that we didn’t have the products best suited for our needs.  She made a pivot and showed us what she believed we should be using.  And she was correct.  The simpler products met all our needs and communicated with our accounting software.  During this exchange she made a reflective comment about the disservice that had been done by using banking acronyms and terminology that only they understood.

It struck me that many of us fall prey to the tendency of using language that isn’t as clear, direct, or simple as it could be.  In the process, it muddies the communication and leaves the listener feeling unsure.  It also puts the burden on the receiver to ask for more information or clearer instructions.  And sometimes they may not even know that they didn’t understand enough of the message to ask for more clarification.  It would be much easier if the communicator took the ownership of having their words and thoughts be direct and transparent.  Thankfully, the issue at the bank was quickly resolved and a great relationship exists between the institution and us.  However, think of the times where misunderstandings happen that permanently fracture relationships.  How many of these could have been avoided by clearer and more thoughtful communication?  Not making assumptions that everyone has the same perspective, shared understanding, or knowledge is a better platform to hold conversations. 

To this day, I still don’t know what the gadget does that we were sent in the mail from the bank.  And I still don’t know all the acronyms and terms the bankers used in our initial meeting.  But this is okay because it was “extra” that didn’t have to be there to make our banking experience great.  In fact, we probably would have been better served not getting the additional do-hickey in the mail because of the confusion it created.  Removing the extra do-hickeys in our own language could serve us all, too.

Changepoints:

Think of a time when someone used words, phrases, or acronyms you didn’t understand:

·        How did it feel to be without a full context or understanding because of the verbiage used by others?  What did you do to bridge the gap?

·        When might you inadvertently use words that isolate others because there is a lack of shared understanding?  How do these experiences hinder the relationships?

·        Who do you know who models clear, direct, and conscience communication?  How does it aid them and those around them?

·        What misunderstandings can be avoided when we chose simpler ways of communicating with others, both in personal and professional arenas?

o   What ways can you create checks-and-balances with your words to try to communicate clearly with others?

o   How can you let others know when you don’t fully understand what they are trying to say?

 

There is a time and place to use abbreviations, flowery language, and technical words.  Make sure you have the right audience and setting lest it become an unneeded communication do-hickey.

outSIGHTin, LLC: Creating awareness as a changepoint for improved organizational results.