For much of my career, I thought sounding smart was part of the job. Not because I was trying to show off, but because I didn’t want to get “found out.” (Thank you, impostor syndrome.) I didn’t come into my role with a perfect resume. Much of what I learned came from being self-taught, learning as I did the work.
So I leaned hard on over-explaining. I thought if I could explain it well, that meant I knew what I was doing. Sounds odd to say out loud and to type.
The habit I didn’t notice at first
Trying to sound smart showed up in little ways.
- I explained things that didn’t need a long explanation.
- I used “tech talk” when normal words would’ve been better.
- I avoided asking questions that felt too basic.
- I talked about the problem more than I worked on the fix.
At the time, it felt like I was being careful. In hindsight, it just slowed things down. It made work heavier than it needed to be.
When being helpful mattered more
The change didn’t happen on a big day like a promotion. It happened when the work started to pile in, and deadlines were tight. There was no time for long talks or several meetings about the same thing.
I noticed people were coming to me anyway. Not because I had the best “smart” answers, but because I stayed calm and helped move things forward. Even when I doubted myself, others trusted me with work that had a lot of eyes on it.
Then the light bulb turned on. People didn’t need me to sound smart. They needed me to be useful.
What I started doing instead
I didn’t flip a switch overnight. I just made a few simple changes.
- I asked questions sooner, no matter how basic they may seem.
- I kept my explanations short. Cut the extra noise.
- I knew when to tap the teammate who is the subject-matter expert.
- I focused on what needed to happen next. Set and understand the goal early.
The funny part is, the less I tried to “sound smart,” the more capable I became. Things moved faster because I wasn’t adding extra layers anymore.
When you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can! ‘ Then get busy and find out how to do it.
Theodore Roosevelt
How it changed my writing too
This same lesson showed up in my writing. When I tried to sound polished or deep, my writing felt stiff. When I wrote plain and honest, it sounded more like me.
- I cut extra words.
- I removed “fancy” lines that didn’t add much.
- I kept the point simple so it was easy to follow.
If it didn’t help someone reading it, I let it go.
Cue the Frozen song.
A quick check you can use
When you catch yourself trying to sound smart, pause and ask:
- Am I helping, or am I trying to look smart?
- Would this make sense to someone new?
- Do I understand where the end goal is?
- Does this move anything forward?
The takeaway
I didn’t become smarter by choosing clarity. I became more helpful. And that steadied my work, cleaned my writing, and lifted my confidence.
Where could being clear help you more right now?
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