Years 1 and 2 at Simplify Language

Hello! My first two years with Simplify Language were amazing. I've learned so much, and I’m excited to share learnings and a short video:

In my trainings, participants practice making communication as clear and brief as possible, while maintaining a positive tone and without "dumbing down".

We also have bigger conversations about the impact of simplifying. I appreciate the many people who shared their personal experiences to build awareness for me and others around big 4 topics: 

1. POWER. Language is power. It can keep some people in power, while their audiences are confused, uninformed, and disengaged. Their language exclusion is intentional, and it makes their life easier. Most of us exclude people unknowingly and unintentionally, and we want to do better. 

   
   
   
   

2. PERMISSION. People appreciate permission to communicate simply. People are tired of expectations to sound extra smart or to write more than they need to. Being simple is being confident and inclusive, not ignorant. 

   
   
   
   

   I also learned more about my privilege, and how race, gender, accent, and other factors impact expectations of us. As a white male, I don’t need to sound super educated to belong in certain groups. Others experience different expectations and judgments because of how they look or sound. This can add complexity around permission to be simple. 

   
   
   
   

3. SHOCK. People are surprised at how much they learn from training and how difficult it is to simplify their communication. Simplifying requires unlearning lifelong habits, which isn’t easy! They don’t recognize they have a problem until I share examples of what good simplifying looks like, and then give them their own communication to practice with. 

   
   
   
   

4. SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITY. If you don’t understand me, it’s your fault and there’s something wrong with you. That’s how responsibility around communication exists today. I believe that responsibility should shift. If you don’t understand me, there’s something I need to do differently. The responsibility should shift from “Do you understand?” to “How can I ______?”. 

I'll share tips and explore these topics and many others in future newsletters, about once a week. If you want to get my updates in your inbox, you can subscribe here.

Join the movement to make communication more accessible, efficient, and inclusive!

Thank you!

Lee Shainis

President, Simplify Language

P.S.- Interested in fall trainings? Schedule a 15-minute consultation with me to discuss possibilities!