Should someone pay me to advise them to ‘keep it simple’.

After all, this is obvious, isn’t it? Surely no one is going to deliberately overcomplicate what they are saying. That would be silly. Maybe even stupid.

Yet people do. And, often deliberately.

Many attempt to use jargon, multiple syllables, and hifalutin words to demonstrate their expertise, experience or position as the most powerful person in a meeting or room.

In doing so they build barriers to being understood. They reduce the chance of an emotional connection being formed. They are causing friction in their communication instead of creating action.

In recent weeks I’ve worked with three people who did not keep it simple. Despite decades of experience in high-profile communications projects their immediate first step was to create complication instead of keeping it simple.

Before you start communicating - but after you know who you are trying to communicate to – think about your fundamental point you are making.

You need to get to the core of your argument or the bare bones of your story.

There can be no waffle. No filling. Nothing to prevent what you are saying being understood.

Simplify.

Then, as you build out how you are going to communicate this, challenge yourself to KISS.

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

How to do this?

Cut the complexity. Junk the jargon. Bury the bureaucratic language.

Instead, use small words. Short sentences. Every day examples.

If in doubt. Repeat to yourself the following golden rule:

Right said Ed. Don’t talk just kiss.