What Did She Say?

IMHO I think you are terrific.  BTW, did you know that I renewed my CPCU and CIC memberships.  I really think it is important to keep up on your education and communication skills.

If you don't understand the use of the acronyms above, you aren't alone.  When we have spent any time in an industry, all of a sudden we start speaking in acronyms and industry jargon.  Not everyone gets it.  That is why you need to be careful when talking to people that aren't in your industry or haven't had the same experiences as you.  It's a great source for miscommunication.

I was teaching an insurance class and used a common insurance acronym of PIP.  One brave audience member asked me what "Picture in a Picture" had to do with insurance.  I suppose if you were insuring the television - a lot.  However, PIP in insurance-speak means Personal Injury Protection, an automobile coverage available in some states.  Even within the same industry, not everyone gets your shortcuts.

Be aware of who you are talking to and where you are.  If you are on the Internet or texting it is common to shorten "In my humble opinion" to IMHO and start or end a sentence with "by the way" using BTW.  The unfortunate situation is when you have emailed or texted someone, you don't get to see the deer-in-the-headlights look to know they didn't get what you just said.  Hopefully, they are brave enough to ask for clarification to lessen miscommunication.  We wish!

What acronyms or jargon do you commonly use in your industry?  Note that even when it is common knowledge to you and your coworkers, it may not be common to your vendors or customers.  If you have to explain something or are making a deal - spell it out, make it clear, keep it simple and you will reduce the chance of misunderstandings.

On February 4, I along with my three other business partners in 4 Dynamic Women are putting on a live seminar in Shoreview, MN.  If communication is important to you, join us to learn about improving your communication skills from four different perspectives:  http://www.4dynamicwomen.com/registration.html. 

Sincerely,
Lisa Burnside, Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)