Mark Cuban is no fan of jargon — and the billionaire is far from alone.
It may be tempting to try slipping in a more complicated word when you want to impress someone, like your boss or a potential employer. But using jargon words when you could opt for something simple and clear instead, typically has the opposite effect, according to Cuban.
“Always use the simpler word,” Cuban told Wired in an October video Q&A.
When asked for the “business buzzword” that annoys him the most, Cuban immediately had one in mind.
“There’s no reason to ever use the word ‘cohort’ when you could use the word ‘group,'” he said. “A cohort is a group of people. Say ‘group.’ You sound stupid when you use the word ‘cohort,’ because you’re trying to sound smart.”
Corporate jargon and buzzwords often wear on the nerves of those who hear them repeatedly. Terms like “new normal,” “company culture” and “circle back” topped a recent list of most annoying examples, according to a survey of more than 1,500 Americans conducted by language learning platform Preply.
Cuban is in agreement with the likes of fellow billionaire Warren Buffett, who likes to keep things as simple as possible. Buffett writes his annual shareholders letter as if he’s speaking to his two sisters — which, of course, means no jargon — he said in 2019.
Elon Musk, currently the world’s wealthiest person, also disdains jargon, especially in the workplace.
“Don’t use acronyms or nonsense words for objects, software or processes at Tesla. In general, anything that requires an explanation inhibits communication,” he wrote in a 2018 letter to Tesla employees. “We don’t want people to have to memorize a glossary just to function at Tesla.”
Using overly-complicated words in order to sound intelligent actually has the opposite effect: It makes you sound less intelligent and can also muddle your message, studies show.
“We use jargon when we’re feeling insecure, to try to help us feel like we have a higher status,” Adam Galinsky, a Columbia Business School professor of leadership and ethics, wrote in an August article for the school’s website.
That creates an effect where using overly-complicated terms, where simpler ones would easily suffice, gives off the impression that you’re insecure about your own intelligence and trying to overcompensate. Instead, you’re better off speaking plainly and concisely, according to experts.
“People who have higher status are more concerned with articulating themselves and communicating effectively,” Galinsky wrote. In other words: It’s the most effective way to get your point across, and it’s more likely to impress than overreaching with jargon.
Disclosure: CNBC owns the exclusive off-network cable rights to “Shark Tank,” which features Mark Cuban as a panelist.
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