“I realized that if I want to get married, I better learn English”

I still remember that day vividly. There I was, all six and a half feet of me, a small-town boy in my third year of computer engineering when a girl walked up and started speaking to me in English.

My mind went into overdrive – frantically translating her words into my mother tongue, formulating a response, translating it back to English, and desperately trying to correct the grammar.

By the time I had constructed the perfect response, she was gone.

That’s when it hit me – if I ever wanted to get married, I’d better learn English.

The moment she walked away, I decided to improve my communication skills.

At that time, I went to the 2 available resources, a lovely book called ‘Word Power Made Easy’ by Norman Lewis and another book called ‘The Adult Approach to Vocabulary Building’ – that is how my journey started.

Looking back now, after decades of working with management consultants and sales professionals across domains, I’ve observed something fascinating.

When many people communicate, they discount their own capabilities. Their language and articulation don’t do justice to their expertise or their organization’s solutions.

As I reflect back now, they are 3 pillars that make the difference.

#1. Simplicity

The power lies in using words everyone understands.

Drop the complexity and embrace straightforward, simple, accessible language. Your message should be clear enough for a child to grasp.

#2. Brevity

Less is more.

Master the art of being concise – –  it’s about being efficient with your words, ensuring each one carries weight and contributes to your message.

#3. Clarity

This isn’t about the clarity in your head – it’s about the clarity you create in your listener’s mind.

This comes down to intentionally improving your vocabulary.

The vocabulary helps you to communicate more in less time, triggering a reaction from your clients such as,

“We are amazed by the quality of how you articulate and understand us”

Here’s the billion-dollar lesson: Your communication quality is a force multiplier for your organization’s capabilities. Whether you’re selling software solutions or management consulting, your ability to communicate clearly and effectively can be the difference between a closed deal and a missed opportunity.

Every time you engage with clients, remember – you’re not just conveying information. You’re creating an experience that should amplify your organization’s value proposition. You deserve to present yourself with full fidelity and turn your pipeline into profit.

After all, in sales, it’s not just about what you say – it’s about what they understand.

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