The Not So Hidden Benefits of Precise Language in Business

Research has shown precise use of language is necessary to achieve and sustain high performance and workplace satisfaction. The unique vocabulary of an organization is like glue. It bonds people together and enhances accountability, feedback, and collaboration.

When people at work talk about accountability, the more precise they are about agreeing on who is going to do what with whom by when and why, the higher the probability that what’s needed will get accomplished. For instance, “Sally, I’ll need that report by tomorrow,” as opposed to, “Sally, can you give me the report on customer returns by the close of business tomorrow so I can report on it the following morning at our staff meeting?” The second option avoids any ambiguity.


Feedback is critical in business and the more specific the language, the more effective the feedback is. “You did a good job,” is not as helpful as, “You did a great job helping resolve the customer’s concerns. You listened carefully and responded with kindness and clarity.” The highest performing teams have a higher ratio of positive feedback than negative. Researcher Marcial Losada has found that that 5:1 is a good ratio to aim for. In poor performing teams, the ratio tends to be closer to 1:1.


When you do need to give critical feedback it’s crucial to use precise language so as not to create defensiveness which erodes trust. A classic practice is called “the sandwich” which suggests first being complimentary. “Sally, I hope you know how respected you are by our sales force.” Wait for Sally to acknowledge this information. Next, share the criticism. “It was not helpful that you lost your temper with John this morning because he made a mistake in the order he submitted and caused you to have to spend an hour reworking it with the customer.” Allow Sally time to absorb this feedback and encourage questions or comments. Then close with positive assurance and appreciation. “Sally, I have faith that you will apologize to John for your outburst and constructively review the errors, so John continues to improve.” Research has revealed that it’s important for managers to prepare these conversations in advance rather than spontaneously providing critical feedback. Critical feedback is necessary for all of us to continuously improve.


Effective collaboration requires common terms which grease the gears, so conversations are more effective, efficient, and free of stress. For example, software developers in many companies use a type of development process called Agile. This entails small groups iterating, creating, and testing code until it is bug free. For instance, a “sprint” is a term describing coding that must be completed and tested within a certain time frame. Precise language can also shorten certain conversations in a team where some details are already assumed. For instance: “We need to update this database,” is more efficient than, “This database now contains a combination of prospects that have become customers and people who requested we not contact them anymore.”


The average person speaks around 7,000 to 20,000 words per day depending on their personality, profession, and their social environment. The more conscious we are of the words we use, the more effective we are at work and in life.


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