Time Management - Marc Mancini
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The Art of Anticipating 99<br />
“Well,” he responds, “according to my CRS, your PNR<br />
indicates that you have an outbound fare basis of<br />
KYE21NR but the return is a KWE21NR. So even though<br />
you have an NR, for $100 you can change 21 days prior<br />
with an MCO. But that will probably require you to<br />
change your whole FIT.”<br />
Fortunately, travel agents are trained to avoid using their industry’s<br />
gobbledygook when serving clients. But every now and<br />
then they lapse into jargon. Everyone does.<br />
If you’re speaking to outsiders, jargon will almost surely<br />
cloud communication and beget problems. (Remember: most<br />
people are too uncomfortable about revealing their ignorance to<br />
ask for an explanation.) Jargon can even trip up your fellow<br />
workers. Newcomers, especially, may not yet be privy to your<br />
industry’s or company’s specialized vocabulary.<br />
Jargon interferes with accurate communication and creates<br />
problems that may take up valuable time later to correct. It’s<br />
better to make sure from the outset that you’re understood and<br />
that you understand the person you’re communicating with.<br />
To get a sense of how jargon may impact you, try making a<br />
list of 20 to 25 words, phrases, or acronyms that are particular<br />
to your business. Once you’ve done this, become fiercely vigilant<br />
in your use of these terms. They tend to confuse the uninitiated,<br />
muddy comprehension, and perhaps initiate serious consequences<br />
when misunderstood.<br />
Gobbledygook can go well beyond jargon. Poor phrasing,<br />
foggy sentences, and snarled paragraphs can all short-circuit<br />
communication, leading to setbacks later on. Here are some<br />
guidelines for making your letters, memos, and e-mail flow<br />
more clearly.<br />
1. Avoid the passive voice. When the objects come before the<br />
subjects, the mind trips over the intended meaning. The subject<br />
of the sentence becomes hard to identify. For example: “The<br />
procedures that were outlined by the advisory committee have<br />
been found to be acceptable to everyone.”