Don’t Be Boring & Stop Saying “Synergy.” How To Communicate To Connect With Your Audience

When I interviewed for my first job in executive search, the feedback I kept getting was: "You’ve made a lot of moves and worked in many different environments in your career —what are you good at?"

Here’s how I answered:

"I am trained as a marketer. I have marketed products, ideas and people.” This created the thread that employers needed to understand so my seemingly ‘disconnected’ career moves made sense to them. 

“Here are the different things I have marketed in my career: the policies and voting record for a Member of Parliament in London, asset-backed securities when they were first launched by an investment bank,  the policies and voting records for two different U.S. senators, collectible products for the Danbury Mint and credit card products for American Express. When I become an executive recruiter, I expect to market candidates to companies and companies to candidates.”

That answer got me the job; it helped my new employers see a pattern, not a zig-zag. 

These days, when I’m leading an executive search and preparing candidates for their interviews, I take time to guide the candidates on how to create clarity in what they say - in a way that connects to dots.

But this communication strategy isn’t just for candidates. Whether you're interviewing for a new role, presenting to a CEO, or speaking to your board, your job isn't just to share information, it’s to connect, engage, and influence others in a way that is most meaningful and relevant to them.

Why most people fail to connect when it matters most

In high-stakes conversations, a lot of people default to what sounds "professional" or "correct”, and it is often distilled into corporate jargon — which doesn’t make a lasting impression. You’ve probably heard lines like "I’m a strategic thinker", "I create synergies across functions” or “I communicate to gain buy-in and alignment.”

Snore! Sure, these things might be true, but they’re also bland, undescriptive and forgettable.

The human brain is wired to remember emotion and imagery, not buzzwords. Stanford University research shows that people remember stories up to 22 times more than facts alone. When you tell a good story, your listener’s brain actually mirrors yours. It’s called "neural coupling," and it’s why stories help us connect.

So if your goal is to build trust and make an impression, skip the jargon and say something that sounds real. Create a picture and help people feel something so they will remember how they experienced you.

Make your message stick with a visual hook and real example.

One of the best ways to get your message across is to start with something surprising or visual—something that makes people perk up. A metaphor, a little humor, or an image that gets stuck in their mind.

For example, instead of saying, "I recruit for highly complex roles," I once told a client, "I specialize in hiring three-headed monsters." It made them laugh, and more importantly, it made them remember me.

Then, speak in everyday language. If you’re talking to a founder/CEO, lean into startup lingo. If you’re speaking to a board, focus on growth, succession, and risk.

And always bring in a clear, specific example. Don’t just say, "I’m good at managing through change." Try: "When our company went through a major acquisition, I built and led the integration team. I minimized the degree of turmoil in the business. We retained 92% of our top talent and exceeded revenue targets within six months."

Finally, connect the dots. Spell out why that story matters to them. You might say, "That experience taught me how to lead through uncertainty—which I know is key for where your team is headed."

When you communicate with clarity and specifics, you're helping the other person imagine what it would be like to have you on their team and to solve their current challenges. You're giving them a reference point that makes them think: "If she did that for other companies, she could do this for us."

Say it in layman’s terms (after you demonstrate that you know how to speak the common language)

Now, I’m not saying you should never use corporate language, especially in interviews or boardroom conversations. Sometimes, starting with industry-standard phrasing shows that you can “speak the language” and that you understand how ‘the game is played’.

But the real magic happens when you follow those statements up by emphasizing the same point in everyday, human language that makes it feel real.

You could start with:

"I drive cross-functional collaboration across global teams to create synergies and streamline execution."

And follow that up with:

"Basically, I get people from different departments and time zones to actually talk to each other so deadlines stop slipping and we can minimize project duplication."

This communication approach immediately builds trust. It helps the listener recognize that you know how to distill things down into clear, easily digestible language. The board, the CEO, and other time-challenged audiences will immediately appreciate your conversational style.

And just like with storytelling, when you explain something clearly and in layman’s terms, it helps your audience imagine you doing the same thing with their employees. That’s when the connection happens.

The formula for communicating with connection

If you need a go-to structure, try this: hook + frame + example = connection

Let’s say you’re a CMO interviewing at a healthcare startup. You might begin with, "In every CMO role I’ve had, I’ve walked in with a giant eraser." Then explain: "Not because I want to start from scratch, but because most companies need to unlearn bad habits before they can scale."

Back it up with: "At Acme Health, I rewrote 80% of our brand messaging, rebuilt the funnel, and grew qualified leads by 300% in a year."

And then connect the dots: "What excites me about this role is that you’re right at that inflection point. You’re ready to scale, but you need to fix the foundation to do it right."

This communication approach works whether you’re in an interview, pitching an idea, or leading a team. It provides clarity, demonstrates value, gets people to trust that you know what you’re doing and helps them remember you.

Ready to be remembered? Here’s where to start.

If you’re gearing up for a big conversation—a board meeting, a job interview, or a founder/CEO pitch—pause and ask yourself:

Where might I tend to use vague, generic language? What’s a story that can bring my point to life? How can I say this in a way that really creates connection?

This kind of communication isn’t about being slick or scripted, it’s about being human. It’s one of the most powerful (and learnable) leadership skills out there.

Learn more about how I help leaders communicate with impact.