Speaking A Simple Message

At one time the calculated average understanding of any random group of adults was the literacy level of a 12 year old. Does this ring true for your presentation audiences?

I didn’t think so at the time but since then have observed many presenters lose their audience by not recognising the level of understanding that might be in the group.

This is not understanding of the topic but a more fundamental understanding of the language you are using to impart your message.

Too often we think a presentation should use more words – we overcomplicate the basic message by using words and phrases that are unnecessarily verbose (that’s one of them!) or obscure in the context of your presentation.

Let’s look at some examples:

“The theme of this year’s summit is ‘From Essential Elements to Effective Practice,’ and the conference will include a variety of interactive sessions.”

“This year’s summit, ‘From Essential Elements to Effective Practice,’ will include a variety of interactive sessions.”

“Ensure that you are signing in to”
“Sign in to“

“Some experts commonly believe that”
“Some experts believe“

There is more power in short sentences than long ones. It is easier to get your message across with simple language.

Importantly, it’s also easier to give a presentation with simple language than filling it with language you might find difficult to use.