Earn and maintain credibility by cutting the fluff

112

COMMUNICATION

LISTEN

Five principles for cutting the fluff

Principle	Best practice	✕ Avoid	✓ Prefer
Keep it Simple	Avoid jargon, use familiar words and active sentence structure.	"Despite its multi-faceted implications, the project was ultimately successful."	"The project was successful because of clear goals and strong teamwork."
Keep it Relevant	Speak directly to the audience's actual needs.	[To HR Director] "This platform is designed for scalable digital transformation."	[To HR Director] "This platform reduces onboarding time by 30% for HR teams."
Be Honest	Say only what you know. Be transparent about uncertainty.	"We're confident this will work across all scenarios."	"This worked in similar teams; we'll test and adjust if needed."
Be Specific	Replace vague terms with quantities, durations, or named outcomes.	"We delivered significant improvements across several areas."	"We cut processing time by 18% and reduced errors by half in support tickets."
Back it up	Support claims with data and cite your sources when possible.	"Everyone agrees this is the best option."	"This option ranked highest in satisfaction across three surveys."

WHY IT MATTERS

Some professionals rely on vague or inflated language, which quickly undermines credibility with experienced audiences and signals a lack of substance.

Big words don’t impress smart audiences. They often come off as faux smart—an attempt to impress that reveals insecurity or underdeveloped communication judgment.

Unlike political speech, where fluff may serve tactical ambiguity, in business it confuses stakeholders and undermines perceived competence.

WHAT TO DO

Master your topic and anchor your communication in a clear goal. Use direct, specific, concise language, and back up assertions with relevant data or real examples.

When unsure or wrong, be transparent and follow up with verified answers—don’t bluff.

Review AI-generated drafts carefully as AI tools often default to generalities. Use customized or fine‑tuned models to better reflect domain context, tone and improve depth.

NOTES

Not all filler is harmful. Strategic ambiguity or enthusiasm has its place in early-stage ideation or morale-building.

For enhanced clarity, consider using the SOWHAT framework to ensure every fact is meaningful, and the VBM Syntax to lead with impact before explaining how it was achieved. These tools sharpen both insight and narrative focus.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Greene, A. E. (2013). Write science in plain English. University of Chicago Press.
Minto, B. (2009). The Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing and Thinking (3rd ed.). Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Sissoko, T. (2024). Demonstrate your impact clearly by communicating with the VBM Syntax. Seesoc & Co.
Sissoko, T. (2024). Elevate your message for impact with the “So What”. Seesoc & Co.