Too many people are carriers of a dread disease. MEGO. They carry this disease completely unknowingly and yet often shower it’s symptoms on others. MEGO leads to misunderstandings that often have horrific consequences and yet rarely will anyone tell the carrier they suffer from it.
MEGO: My Eyes Glaze Over
The carriers are unable to talk about the simplest things without spouting unintelligible acronyms, incomprehensible abbreviations, neverending insider and highly technical language, and extended obtuse verbiage. The result? Most people don’t have a clue what the carrier is talking about. There is no communication.
Or worse, there is assumed communication leading to continuous misunderstandings and so the wrong actions.
MEGO occurs everywhere. Instructions written in verbiage no one understands or that assumes a level of knowledge that doesn’t exist. Talking to a random assortment of people while using the acronyms specific to your expertise. Using abbreviations with multiple meanings without any explanation.
Clean up your language. Remember that the purpose of language is communication. Communication is ensuring that you are understood, that those receiving your words actually understand them and what you’re trying to say.
Failed communication is your fault, not theirs. It’s not their responsibility to understand your incomprehensible messages. it’s yours to make your messages comprehensible. Every time you say “they just don’t understand” you mark a failure of yours, not theirs. Your lack of clarity is leading to poorer results.
Make everyone’s life easier. Reduce mistakes. Improve results.
Clean up your language.
Love it. I once had a client who spoke in full paragraphs that made perfect sense as the words came out of her mouth. Yet somehow when she was done, no one had a clue what she’d said – a table surrounded by people who were looking at each other in total confusion. She was the team leader and no one wanted to tell the empress that she had no clothes on. I finally instituted the “No Pronoun” rule – just what it sounds like. I asked her to speak without using any pronouns. When she violated the rule, I just said, “Pronoun!” loud enough to interrupt her. Behavior modification. She stopped using pronouns and her people (and her highly paid consultants) started understanding her.
Great story about another MEGO Moment. And a wonderful intervention to stop the confusion and get to clarity. thanks.