How I Learned To Communicate Clearly
Four rules for clear communication from my own mess up as a non-native english speaker
When I moved to the US as a software engineer, I suffered a communication crisis.
I was trying to sound native but with my Indian accent. I overused local phrases without understanding them completely. I threw big words like “camaraderie” just to sound smart. I thought I was acing communication.
Until it backfired.
Email gone wrong
One morning, I got an email update about a critical deliverable from a team mate in India:
Hi Suresh,
I added some new tests for the latest feature. Can you please take a look and provide your feedback?
Thanks,
Vaishali
I saw a chance to use a phrase I’d heard my American coworkers use when giving feedback or advice: “(If I were you) I’d do it another way.” It sounded polite and effective, so I replied:
Hi Vaishali,
You really hit it out of the park!
Just one thing,
I’d move the functions to a utils class outside the tests folder.
Thanks,
Suresh
I felt proud of my polished response. But the changes weren't delivered and as the team lead I was held accountable.
I followed up with Vaishali and she sounded confused: “But you said YOU were going to make the changes!”
That’s when I realized the mistake. 🤦🏽♂️
Communication Lessons
The phrase that was commonly used amongst my American colleagues misfired with Vaishali. She thought I was going to make the changes because I’d said “I’d move...”
I learned a critical lesson: Language isn’t the same as communication.
Communication is not about using fancy words or local phrases. It is about ensuring that your thoughts are clearly transferred to the other person.
As I continued to work with people from diverse backgrounds, I realized the importance of simplicity in communication.
I followed these four rules to become a clearer communicator:
1. No Local Phrases Or Jargon
As you saw in my example email, these idioms often cause more confusion than clarity, especially with people who are not familiar with that culture.
I now avoid such phrases and instead use straightforward language that everyone can grasp.
Also, don’t try to impress your international colleagues by using their local phrases if you don’t understand their language or culture well.
2. Target Lower Language Level
I avoid words that I wouldn’t have used in eighth grade.
This isn’t about dumbing down the language; it’s about reducing cognitive load (ok, I wouldn’t have used “cognitive load” in eighth grade).
The easier your message is to read and understand, the more likely it is that your audience will grasp it fully, regardless of their language proficiency.
Your goal isn’t to impress with vocabulary. If your audience has to look for a dictionary, you’re failing at communication.
3. Say It Directly
People tend to soften their language to be polite, which can lead to vague or unclear messages. Being direct, while still respectful, leads to less ambiguity and fewer misunderstandings.
Even when you have something uncomfortable to say, say it directly instead of hiding behind long convoluted sentences. People appreciate clarity more than your ability to weave words.
We have all received those emails where you read five times and still have to ask “what the heck is this about?”
4. Enunciation Is Good
For years, I was conscious about my Indian accent. In my native language, there are no silent letters, so everything is pronounced clearly. I used to think my over-enunciation made me sound strange.
But when I started managing a team from Argentina, I discovered that this enunciation was actually a strength. My team mentioned it was a lot easier to understand me over video calls than my native-speaking bosses. I’m glad I kept the accent 😊
Embrace your accent! Clarity is what matters more!
Bonus Lesson: Be Specific
General and vague statements often lead to confusion and misunderstandings. When you're not specific, people are left guessing what you actually mean, which increases the chances of things going wrong.
Specificity removes ambiguity and ensures that people know exactly what to do or expect.
Example “We’ll launch the new feature soon.” What does “soon” mean? Next week? In three months? If your audience isn’t clear on the timing, they may either rush or delay their preparations.
Conclusion
Effective communication isn’t about sounding like a native speaker. It’s about ensuring that your message is clear, concise, and easily understood.
These four rules have not only improved my interactions at work but has also deepened connections with my colleagues.
So, the next time you communicate, think about whether your language is making you clearer or just adding noise.
More Resources
There is so much more to communication than what I covered in this post. Go explore the following articles:
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Improve Writing, Speaking and Non-Verbal Communication by
Why Software Engineers Should Learn to Sell by