I don't have a clue what you just said

I don't have a clue what you just said
Communication is, of course, about getting your message
understood. Unfortunately, sometimes our messages are
obscured by our language. Business people are outdone only
by athletes, coaches, and sport reporters in this endeavor:
"We had to drop back and punt because our end run was
blocked." Huh? Unless you're a football fan, that phrase
could easily be misunderstood. As popular as football is,
not everyone is a football fan and not everyone understands
what that means. The 2008 Super Bowl was watched by
approximately 97.5 million viewers out of a U.S. population
of approximately 301 million and a world population of
approximately six billion. Even given football's massive
popularity in the United States, if you use football
metaphors to make a point, statistically two thirds of your
audience may not understand what you mean. To be clear, I'm
not opposed to using sports analogies or analogies from any
other field. My concern is about the assumption that
"everyone" will know what you mean without an explanation.

Do you use jargon, metaphors, and cliches as you try to
convey business strategies and tactics to your colleagues,
staff, and bosses? You know what you mean, but are you sure
your listeners understand what you mean?

"Let's take a 30,000 foot view."
"We'll go for the low-hanging fruit."
"She really swings for the fence."
"I'll pencil you in."
"Let's do lunch."
"I'm going to be out-of-pocket for the next few days."
"Try thinking out of the box."
"Let's make it seamless."
"Is it scalable?"
"We need to reel in the big one."
"Let's take it offline."
"Does it have legs?"
"It's a slam-dunk."
"Can we make it a win win?"
"You guys need to step up to the plate..."
"We need to play offense."
"We need to play more defense."
"We're facing a lot of challenges."
"Does it have traction?"
"He's a spin doctor."

Look at the above list and think about what those phrases
mean and how you could state the same thing in plain
language. Listen to yourself and others talking in the
workplace and notice how much jargon and how many cliches
are tossed around.

In the classic novel "1984", Orwell writes of "newspeak".
Newspeak was/is simply a means of rephrasing things we'd
rather not hear. Thank heavens for Donald Trump when he
says, "You're fired!" instead of "I'm not going to renew
your contract." or "We need to move in a different
direction." Just say what you mean and get on with things
or, as author Meryl Runion says in her book Power Phrases,
"Say what you mean, mean what you say, and don't be mean
when you say it."

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Don R. Crawley is a communication veteran. His career
includes more than a quarter-century as a top-rated radio
broadcaster and program director, author, musician, seminar
leader, business owner, and public speaker. Today, his
keynote speeches, workshops, and seminars help people from
all walks of life understand and be understood. He blogs at
http://www.communi-blunders.com . Reach him at
don(at)communi-blunders.com.

Paper Shredders

Paper Shredders
The increase in identity theft and in turn identity fraud
worldwide makes it important for both individuals and
businesses to make certain that sensitive and private
information is carefully and safely stored when it is
needed, and completely destroyed when it is no longer
needed. One of the best methods available for destroying
sensitive information and documents is the use of a paper
shredder. By shredding important documents, individuals
and businesses alike can safeguard themselves against
criminal access to these same files and records.

A paper shredder has the ability to shred a variety of
documents, including credit card bills and receipts, bank
statements, actual credit cards, checks, pay stubs, and
photographs, to name a few.

Paper shredders are typically available in two forms:
strip-cut and cross-cut. A strip-cut paper shredder cuts
paper and documents into strips, as the name suggests.
Typical strip sizes are about quarter of an inch in
thickness. For the cost, this type of shredder can handle
a high volume of sheets, and typically requires less
maintenance than other types of shredders. This type of
shredder is often perfect for small offices and documents
that are less sensitive.

Cross-cut paper shredders are designed to cut paper and
documents into small pieces instead of strips. This
technique increases the level of security, while at the
same time making it easier to deal with the waste. The
small paper pieces are easier to dispose of than the longer
strips, which can often take up a lot of space in a
wastebasket.

Some paper shredders are designed to shred documents to a
very fine level, and as such come complete with blades that
are not very sturdy. In these cases, staples and paper
clips can cause severe damage to the blades, and cause the
shredder to work in a less efficient manner. To avoid this
problem, most office elect to use a shredder that cuts
strips into large pieces, as paper clips and staples are
easily "eaten" by the larger, more sturdy blades.

Shredder oil and lubrication are other considerations that
need to be made by any office manager looking to purchase a
paper shredder. Since dust from shredded papers can often
stick to the blades, using oil can keep the paper dust from
accumulating. With the added lubrication, the movement
from the blades can help push the paper dust through,
easily increasing the efficiency of the paper shredder's
blades.

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ABT's massive selection of shredders is available to view
online, as are details of the servicing and repair facility
and regular updates on news from the shredding industry. A
freephone line is available for all customers seeking
advice or guidance regarding a new purchase, or to learn
more about the servicing and repair of an existing shredder
- http://www.abt-shredders.co.uk/