Clarity In Written Communication

Inaccessibility is all around us - but sometimes we’re doing it without even realising. I’ve made every one of these mistakes in the past. It wasn’t until someone took the time to point them out that I learned how inaccessible I was being - despite having good intentions. Here are 5 ways you might be being inaccessible, without even knowing: 1. Long LinkedIn headlines or overuse of emojis. Screen reader users hear your full headline every single time you post or comment. Every. Single. Time. Even when it’s truncated visually. That can mean hearing your full job title, emojis, and taglines multiple times before even reaching your post content. Try to keep your headline under 100 characters or two lines max - it makes a huge difference. 2. Long email signatures, HTTP links, and unlabelled images. Screen readers will read out every line - including things like “H-T-T-P-colon-slash-slash…” for full URLs. Images without alt text are completely invisible to screen reader users. Keep it short and simple, and use alt text wherever you can. Put only essential info in your email signature and put two dashes at the top to signal your signature is starting. And remember, it’s not your marketing tool. When was the last time you actually bought something from an email signature?! 3. Not running documents through the accessibility checker. You run a spell check, so why not an acceeeibility check? It’s a quick step, but it can flag things like heading structures, contrast issues, and missing image descriptions. It takes seconds and makes a big impact. 4. Using colour alone to convey meaning. For example, “I’ve marked the important cells in green” doesn’t help if someone can’t perceive colour easily. Neither does “I’ve shaded the cells for our RAG status”. Always add a label, icon, or another indicator. 5. Using all lowercase hashtags. #thisisnotaccessible - screen readers can’t parse where one word ends and another begins. Use camel case instead - #ThisIsAccessible - so screen readers pronounce the words correctly. Small changes, big impact. If you’ve made some of these mistakes before - welcome to the club. We learn, we improve, we do better. #DisabilityInclusion #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #Adjustments #DiversityAndInclusion #Content #A11y

If you’re using ChatGPT, how you prompt makes all the difference. The latest GPT-4.1 guide is out - here are my highlights. GPT-4.1 brings some 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: • Instruction Following: More literal and precise responses • Tool Use: Better integration with APIs and functions • Long-Context Handling: Can process much larger documents (up to 1 million tokens) • Multi-Step Workflows: More effective for agent-like tasks and business logic These are my key prompting takeaways: 🔹 𝗕𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 The model follows instructions more literally than previous versions. A single clear sentence often fixes unintended behaviour. 🔹 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 GPT-4.1 is ideal for multi-step tasks. For agents, include reminders to: • Keep going until the task is solved • Use tools rather than guessing • Plan and reflect between steps 🔹 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 Use OpenAI’s tool API directly - no need for workarounds. Clear tool names and concise descriptions improve results. 🔹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 Want the model to “think aloud”? Ask it to break down tasks step-by-step. This improves accuracy and depth, especially for complex problems. 🔹 𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲-𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 It can handle up to 1 million tokens, but performance depends on how you structure the input. Place instructions before the content and keep formatting clean and focused. 🔹 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 Older prompts may not work the same. GPT-4.1 relies less on implied rules—be explicit about desired output, structure, and tone. 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: GPT-4.1 is highly steerable - but only if you guide it precisely. Build structured prompts, plan agent workflows, and iterate often. Smart prompting is now a skill - and a competitive advantage. Opinions: my own, Source: GPT-4.1 guide 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: https://lnkd.in/dkqhnxdg

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

✍Work in Government or NFP communications or campaigns?✍ Did you know there are more than 1,000,000 people in Australia who speak a language other than English at home and have low levels of English proficiency? Unfortunately, this audience group is often left out of marketing and communication efforts even though they—like everyone else—require access to information to help them make informed decisions about their lives. So, how can you connect with this audience? 1️⃣ Well, one way is to translate your content. If you’re creating content for English-speaking audiences, think about how it could be translated for other audiences. Consider some of the most widely spoken languages in Australia, like Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese, and Punjabi. Or think about languages that best meet the needs of specific audiences that you're trying to reach, like recent refugees, or older populations. 2️⃣ Another approach is using in-language advertising. If you have a budget for paid ads, allocate some of it to multicultural media. For example, in Victoria, the government requires at least 15% of campaign media spending to be directed to multicultural media. An example of this could be running ads on community radio or advertising in publications like "Neos Kosmos" for Greek communities or "El Telegraph" for Arabic-speaking audiences. This helps ensure your message reaches your intended audience. 3️⃣ Finally, sometimes translation alone isn’t enough. Think about adapting your campaigns to align with cultural norms and values. Maybe your slogan or humour doesn’t quite resonate with certain communities. For example, a campaign for a health service might need to emphasise family-oriented messaging in some communities or adapt visuals to align with modesty norms in others. Working with a specialist multicultural communications agency, like Ethnolink, can help make sure your message is both culturally sensitive and impactful. So, what’s the takeaway? Commit to creating communication strategies that include all Australians. Because making your message inclusive isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s how you truly connect with the people who need to hear it most. #translation #CALD #multicultual #communications #culturaldiversity

Here's what happens to almost every document or presentation. You start with a purpose in your mind. You go into the detail. You iterate. Someone gives feedback. You iterate again. By draft three, you have a lot of good information without a clear answer to why any of it exists. The purpose didn't disappear. It moved from the page back into your head — where no one else can see it. The fix sounds almost too simple. Most people skip it anyway. Write the purpose down. One sentence. Before you write anything else. Not a title. Not an agenda. A purpose. "This document exists to decide on X." Keep it at the top of the page the entire time you're writing. That one sentence does three things most people don't anticipate: 𝟭/ 𝗜𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 If you can't write the purpose in one sentence, you're not ready to write the document. That struggle is the work. 𝟮/ 𝗜𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 After every section or slide, ask: does this move my purpose one step forward? If the answer is no — cut it. Good content that doesn't serve the purpose is just noise with better packaging. 𝟯/ 𝗜𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿 Share the purpose before asking for input. Reviewers stop reacting to the content and start evaluating whether it's doing its job. That's the feedback that actually improves the work. Most documents don't fail because the author can't write. They fail because the purpose lived only in their head. Write it down. Keep coming back to it. Sounds simple. Rarely done. What's one habit that keeps your writing focused? --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for Leadership and Career posts.

Stop asking your team for project updates. Ask this instead… Here’s the deal: asking “How’s the project going?” is about as useful as yelling into a canyon and waiting for the echo. The answers are vague, noncommittal, and rarely give you what you actually need to move forward. Cue the game-changing upgrade: The Next Action question. Instead of getting a fluffy progress update like, “Oh, it’s moving along,” you’re forcing clarity and momentum with one simple pivot: “What’s your Next Action?” It’s clarity on steroids. When someone defines their Next Action, they’re forced to get specific. Suddenly, “waiting on Bob” becomes “Follow up with Bob on Feb. 2 at 3 PM.” If they don’t know the Next Action, that’s a giant red flag that they’re stuck—and now you know where to dig deeper. Asking for Next Actions also trains your team to anticipate the path forward instead of waiting to be told. Over time, this builds a squad of proactive, solution-oriented thinkers who move stuff forward like pros. So replace “how’s that going” with “what’s your next action?” And bake it into your tools… Add a 'Next Action' field to your project management software so it’s always front and center. Normalize it. Encourage everyone to define and share their Next Actions in updates, meetings, or Slack threads. The result? Less guessing, more doing. Fewer status reports, more momentum. This one little shift could be the difference between projects that crawl and projects that fly. So, go ahead—ditch the updates. Ask for next action.

A lot of the disenchantment with LLMs these days is simply this: if you provide a poorly written prompt, the LLM will behave poorly. To illustrate this point, imagine you're teaching a robot how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You might give the instructions: 1. Take a slice of bread 2. Put peanut butter on the slice 3. Take a second slice of bread 4. Put jelly on that slice 5. Press the slices of bread together These instructions seem clear but they could result in the robot taking a slice of bread, putting the jar of peanut butter on top of the slice, taking a second slice of bread, putting the jar of jelly on top of that slice, then picking up both slices of bread and pushing them together. Technically, that's not wrong, right? Being explicit removes a lot of non-determinism and uncertainty. A more explicit, better set of instructions would be:  1. Take a slice of bread 2. Open the jar of peanut butter by twisting the lid counter clockwise 3. Pick up a knife by the handle 4. Insert the knife into the jar of peanut butter 5. Withdraw the knife from the jar of peanut butter and run it across the slice of bread 6. Take a second slice of bread 7. Repeat steps 2-5 with the second slice of bread and the jar of jelly. 8. Press the two slices of bread together such that the peanut butter and jelly meet Being explicit is important. LLMs require us to think a little differently about the way we author things.

I have a hypothesis about why some salespeople sound like robots. They sell complex products, so they think they need a lot of specialized jargon to explain them. I also suspect salespeople believe they need to sound professional. The problem? Jargon and corporate-speak are counterproductive. They confuse your message. As Donald Miller says, “When you confuse, you lose.” How can we make the “sales voice” go away? Notice the difference between this sentence: “Our onboarding process ensures a comprehensive understanding of our product’s capabilities.” And this sentence: “We’ll walk you through everything to make sure you’re comfortable and ready to roll.” Before: “You may customize your dashboard settings to align with your specific preferences.” After: “Set up your dashboard just the way you like it.” Before: “Our platform provides a 360-degree view of customer interactions, enabling comprehensive insights and streamlined data access.” After: “See everything about your customers in one place.” Imagine explaining your product to a friend over coffee—not a room full of executives. Use short sentences, plain language, and words they’d actually say in real life. Instead of “optimize efficiencies,” try “make it easier.” Instead of “comprehensive insights,” say “see the big picture.” The goal is clarity, not complexity. When your message is easy to understand, people feel like you’re talking with them, not at them. And that’s when trust—and sales—happen.

We all have our unique communication style. And this can sometimes be a problem… At my core, I am naturally direct—I prefer getting straight to the point and value concrete solutions. This direct approach was perfectly acceptable in my country, Ukraine. But it was not as well received in England, where I moved at the age of 21. Gradually, I adapted to my new environment. “I think you are wrong” transformed into “with all due respect,” and “Your idea is bad” evolved into “Could we consider other options?”. The experience of working in an international context, with people from all over the world, has taught me that: 1️⃣ There’s no universally “good” or “bad” communication style; what’s effective in one culture might not be in another. 2️⃣ The greatest skill lies in knowing when to pivot between directness and subtlety, especially in multicultural settings. 3️⃣ Adapting your style doesn’t mean sacrificing your core identity; it’s about building bridges across borders. For a deeper dive into cross-cultural communication, I recommend reading “The Culture Map” by Erin Meyer, where she deciphers how culture shapes communication styles. To learn more about my personal journey in this realm, check out my latest speech on the topic at the International Geneva Toastmasters. 👇 #CommunicationSkills #CulturalIntelligence #communication #CrossCulturalCommunication #CulturalAwareness

Accessibility tip that should be the standard anyway: Send documents in advance for review before asking people to respond to them. Don't share documents participants haven't seen before during a meeting and then ask for feedback in that same meeting. Also, provide a reasonable timeframe for review. Emailing documents a few hours before a meeting is still not enough time. Why? 1. Some people need more time to process information and develop thoughts. Those who are neurodivergent or have cognitive disabilities can be part of this group. 2. People are busy and might have competing priorities, and providing more time for review will support them. 3. When documents are reviewed in a live meeting, this is often an environment with background noise and bright lighting. It might be difficult for participants to focus on the documents or read them for understanding when there are people speaking in the background or someone is presenting. This is not an ideal environment to process, understand, and respond to new information. 4. More privileged voices can dominate non-inclusive situations like this and you can lose valuable feedback and insights from others. Has this happened to you before? Do you follow this best practice? #DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility #Meetings