Why plain language beats corporate jargon

I’ve been a sucker for good writing for a long time. When I recently started writing more, I got interested in good writing from the writers’ perspective.

After taking LinkedIn's Writing in Plain Language course, I discovered that plain language is actually a communication philosophy with clear principles:

- Answer the questions a reader might have

- Use active voice

- Avoid jargon

- Be concise

It’s like organizing your information in a FAQ format.

It sounds simple, but it reminded me of countless confusing PowerPoint slides and emails I’ve seen at large organizations. Many people could benefit from these principles.

The key insight: good writing succeeds when readers know what to do after reading it. Your writing works when readers behave as you intended.

What you can do today: pick a document you’re working on. Read it from your audience’s perspective. Can they quickly understand what you need from them? If not, rewrite it using the four principles above.