KIS at work is not a call for inappropriate office behavior! It is a memorable acronym for Keep It Simple. (In the last century there was a second “s” that stood for “stupid” – thus the dropping of the last “s” in this century of conversation.) Keeping It Simple at work can be the difference between success and failure; safety and injury.
Keep “it” simple. The “it” means messages, directions, and calls to action taken by employees and customers. “It” includes safety messages about what to do in an emergency.
“It” also includes every phone-call, virtual call, presentation, and in-person meeting made or held by you or your team internally, with vendors, and with customers.
“Simple” means we can improve our messages by re-reading them to make certain they are clear and accurate; concise and actionable.
Simple also means that the language we use can be understood by our readers. One client has over 40 spoken languages in their office. This means that messages in English are being read by people who may speak and read English as a second, third, or fourth language. This also means that messages in English must be straightforward (simple) and easy to understand. Consider how many products have directions in English and one to three or more additional languages.
Simple sometimes means fewer words and more visuals.
Simple sometimes means messages need to be translated into other languages; and signed or interpreted for people speaking other languages than the one in which we are presenting our messages.
And “keep it” means to continually remember to create and share messages that are clear, simple, and easy to take action upon. KIS: time after time.
Which work projects and presentations will you apply KIS to this week?
Presentation Pointers and how-to skill building are available. If you have one or more team members ready to polish their presentations, contact Jana Kemp. 208-367-1701
As the author of seven books, in seven languages, Jana has been interviewed by U.S., Canadian, and European programs, and magazines. Her presentations have been seen in the United States and India by international audience members.
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