“Clear as Mud”, is an expression that indicates you have made things less clear while intending to clarify. You will meet people who will keep holding the microphone, that is everyone’s attention, while trying to clarify, or trying to get to the point. Most, in the audience, may listen out of politeness, but if you fall into this trap too often people will start to take counter measures.
If you use lots of filler words, go on tangents, bring irrelevant facts or details, or take a long time to make a point or get to a question you may fall in the “clear as mud,” trap. Different than filibustering, or elaborating, this is not done intentionally but a failure to get to the point, the question, or the recommendation by the most succinct way. You tend confuse the issue with too many facts, or trying to be complete, or polite.
In college my best friend read my paper and gave me the best advice – “just say it.” By that he meant with the most straight forward and fewest number of words. It is possible to say too few words and not have the presence to say what needs to be said – but that’s a different skill.
Some of techniques include writing down the question or point you are trying to make, maybe even ahead of the meeting. Winston Churchill spent a lot of time writing and preparing his content before he was able to give impressive speeches. Another technique is to understand your intention, and what you are trying to accomplish, and find – ahead of time – the shortest way to say that.
Once you identify the problem you can fall back to intent, or say “let me rephrase,” or “let me summarize.”
