This week’s Coached could be subtitled ‘Keep it simple’.

We live in a complex world where we are overloaded with information meaning being listened to, let alone having our argument understood, is harder than ever.

Yet I see people at every stage of their careers who try too hard. Try to complicate things. Try to look clever. Try to demonstrate their expertise.

All of these create barriers to being understood rather than pathways to understanding.

What anyone who wants to connect with their audience and be understood (that is all of us!) needs to do is these three things:

Use small words
Use short sentences
Each sentence should only make one point

That is it. But it is harder said than done. It requires practice and perseverance.

With practice though this simple three step process will make a big difference.

Every e-mail. Every telephone call. Every presentation.

Every piece of communication you undertake needs to pass this test.

If it does not, then you are creating unnecessary barriers to good communication.

Cut out the jargon. Cut out the sub-clauses. Cut out the multisyllable words.

It was a technique used by Winston Churchill throughout his long and distinguished career as a politician, leader and journalist.

If it is good enough for the greatest Briton to ever live it is good enough for the rest of us.

Give it a go. Keep it simple.

Let me know how it helps you communicate better.