Simplifying the Complex. Helen Wilkie MHW Communications

Transcription

1 Simplifying the Complex Helen Wilkie MHW Communications

2 What Is Complexity?

3 Why Simplify the Complex?

4 Why Simplify the Complex? Complexity Causes Confusion

5 Why Simplify the Complex? Complexity causes confusion Confusion causes problems

6 Lost business opportunities

7 Lost business opportunities Annoyed clients

8 Lost business opportunities Annoyed clients Confused website visitors

9 Lost business opportunities Annoyed clients Confused website visitors Non-supportive colleagues

10 What We ll Cover Simplifying your writing

11 What We ll Cover Simplifying your writing Simplifying your presentations

12 What We ll Cover Simplifying your writing Simplifying your presentations Simplifying your marketing

13 What We ll Cover Simplifying your writing Simplifying your presentations Simplifying your marketing Simplifying your conversation

14 Jargon

15 Watch That Jargon! Trust deposit option 70 lb text duplex finish Laproscopic procedure First North American Rights No load Full bleed Upper deck masking

16 Watch That Jargon! Compound annual growth rate Arm s length Capital cost allowance Transfer pricing Ratio analysis IFRS Compliance

17 Helen s Jargon Challenge 17

18 18 Helen s Jargon Challenge Jargon Term

19 19 Capital cost allowance Compound annual growth rate Transfer pricing Arm s length Ratio analysis IFRS Compliance Helen s Jargon Challenge Jargon Term

20 20 Helen s Jargon Challenge Capital cost allowance Compound annual growth rate Transfer pricing Arm s length Ratio analysis IFRS Jargon Term Compliance Plain Language Term

21 Fancy Words and Twisted Sentences

22 Before I have looked at the T4 s prepared by your former bookkeeper for 2009 as well as the letter of June 15 you have received from the Canada Revenue Agency ( CRA ). The amount due arises out of the difference between the CPP deductions that were reported on your 2009 T4 ($615.76) and the actual correct amount stated by CRA. The CPP pensionable earnings were $51, Based on the pensionable earnings, CRA has calculated that the CPP should have been $1, This is correct based on the pensionable earnings reported. The difference is $1, CRA is now demanding that you remit the employee and employer (which must match the employee portion) portions of CPP, which results in a total amount payable by you of $2,654.82, plus interest and penalties of $1, The total amount now owing is, therefore, $3, The T4 prepared for you by CRA reflects this amount for CPP.

23 After I have reviewed the June 15 letter from the Canada Revenue Agency ( CRA ), as well as the T4s prepared by your former bookkeeper. The CRA calculates (and we confirm) the amount owing as follows: Pensionable earnings $51, Correct CPP $1, Reported CPP $ Difference $1, Total employee and employer $2, portions (must be equal) Interest and penalties $1, Total amount payable $3, The T4 prepared for you by CRA reflects the correct CPP amount.

24 The Sales Presentation

25 Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla You bla probably bla Bla bla bla Bla can t bla bla read Bla bla this bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla but it explains our bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla process bla bla Bla for bla bla maximizing Bla bla bla Bla bla the bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla opportunity inherent in your bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla specific bla bla Bla and bla bla unique Bla bla bla tax Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla Bla bla bla situation

26 Source: bla bla bla bla bla bla bal

27 Source: bla bla bla bla bla bla bal As you can clearly see...

28 Source: bla bla bla bla bla bla bal

29

30

31 This relationship model indicates the weighting of the red widgets as compared to the entirety of your product mix.

32 The 35% slice of the pie suggests you are relying very heavily on the red widget

33 Marketing

34 Website Mistakes: the 3 Bs

35 Website Mistakes: the 3 Bs Busy, boring, baffling

36

37 zzzzzz zzzzzz z!

38 What do these people actually do?

39 We advise many companies on the most tax-efficient ways to structure their affairs and ensure that all available reliefs are utilised.

40 We advise many companies on the most tax-efficient ways to structure their affairs and ensure that all available reliefs are utilised. With our full range of services we can provide integrated solutions to meet your needs at every stage of your organisation s development.

41 We advise many companies on the most tax-efficient ways to structure their affairs and ensure that all available reliefs are utilised. With our full range of services we can provide integrated solutions to meet your needs at every stage of your organisation s development. This approach helps our clients focus on their areas of increased risk, bridge silos to effectively manage risk across organizational boundaries and seek not only risk mitigation, but also pursue intelligent risk taking as a means to value creation.

42 We advise many companies on the most tax-efficient ways to structure their affairs and ensure that all available reliefs are utilised. With our full range of services we can provide integrated solutions to meet your needs at every stage of your organisation s development. This approach helps our clients focus on their areas of increased risk, bridge silos to effectively manage risk across organizational boundaries and seek not only risk mitigation, but also pursue intelligent risk taking as a means to value creation. We utilise the latest risk-based audit methodology and software.

43 We advise many companies on the most tax-efficient ways to structure their affairs and ensure that all available reliefs are utilised. With our full range of services we can provide integrated solutions to meet your needs at every stage of your organisation s development. This approach helps our clients focus on their areas of increased risk, bridge silos to effectively manage risk across organizational boundaries and seek not only risk mitigation, but also pursue intelligent risk taking as a means to value creation. We utilise the latest risk-based audit methodology and software. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 has significant implications for audits performed under OMB Circular A-133. If you have received funds under the ARRA, you probably know that they come with an unprecedented demand for accountability and transparency and require reporting an unparalleled amount of data.

44 Visitors Need to Know

45 Visitors Need to Know Am I in the right place? Are these people speaking to me? Do they offer the services I want?

46 Non-supportive colleagues

47 Non-supportive colleagues

48 Non-supportive colleagues

49 Non-supportive colleagues

50 Check for Understanding Did I make that clear enough?

51 Check for Understanding Did I make that clear enough? Have I missed anything out?

52 Check for Understanding Did I make that clear enough? Have I missed anything out? Is there anything else you need to know about this?

53 Make It Safe to Ask Questions They re not stupid

54 Make It Safe to Ask Questions They re not stupid There are no stupid questions

55 Make It Safe to Ask Questions They re not stupid There are no stupid questions Reframe in different words

56 Make It Safe to Ask Questions They re not stupid There are no stupid questions Reframe in different words Check for understanding again

57 Enlist outside help Rehearse your argument with a friend or family member first Say it until they understand it

58 Before and After

59 Complex By deeming the amalgamated corporation to be the same corporation as and a continuation of each of the predecessor corporations the Income Tax Act allows the losses of each of the predecessor corporations to be applied against the taxable income of the amalgamated corporation.

60 Complex By deeming the amalgamated corporation to be the same corporation as and a continuation of each of the predecessor corporations the Income Tax Act allows the losses of each of the predecessor corporations to be applied against the taxable income of the amalgamated corporation. Thinking process Two ideas: 1. Provision of the Income Tax Act 2. Rationale behind the provision Decide order you want to present the two ideas in. Turn the sentence inside out to make it clear, which may suggest more than one sentence is needed.

61 Complex Thinking process Simplified By deeming the amalgamated corporation to be the same corporation as and a continuation of each of the predecessor corporations the Income Tax Act allows the losses of each of the predecessor corporations to be applied against the taxable income of the amalgamated corporation. Two ideas: 1. Provision of the Income Tax Act 2. Rationale behind the provision Decide order you want to present the two ideas in. Turn the sentence inside out to make it clear, which may suggest more than one sentence is needed. The Income Tax Act considers the amalgamated corporation simply a continuation of the predecessor corporations. Therefore, their losses can be applied against the amalgamated corporation s taxable income.

62 Complex The Finance Committee requires that, prior to any further substantial work being performed on these files, that you provide a formal memorandum to the Finance Committee together with a copy to your Department Head outlining the nature of the file, the work to be performed, what you anticipate the monthly and total expenses and whether or not there is a financial or other retainer.

63 Complex Thinking process The Finance Committee requires that, prior to any further substantial work being performed on these files, that you provide a formal memorandum to the Finance Committee together with a copy to your Department Head outlining the nature of the file, the work to be performed, what you anticipate the monthly and total expenses and whether or not there is a financial or other retainer. The Finance Committee needs a memo before you do any more work on the files. The memo should contain a number of pieces of information. You should give a copy to your Department Head.

64 Complex Thinking process Simplified The Finance Committee requires that, prior to any further substantial work being performed on these files, that you provide a formal memorandum to the Finance Committee together with a copy to your Department Head outlining the nature of the file, the work to be performed, what you anticipate the monthly and total expenses and whether or not there is a financial or other retainer. The Finance Committee needs a memo before you do any more work on the files. The memo should contain a number of pieces of information. You should give a copy to your Department Head. Before doing any more work on these files, please provide the following information in a memo to the Finance Committee: nature of the file work to be performed anticipated monthly and total expenses nature of any retainer Please give a copy of your memo to your Department Head.

65 Complex We, in the course of our engagement, have reviewed, as requested in a letter written by the previous owner of the restaurant in order to determine his liability for tax arrears, the profit and loss statement for the last year.

66 Complex Thinking process We, in the course of our engagement, have reviewed, as requested in a letter written by the previous owner of the restaurant in order to determine his liability for tax arrears, the profit and loss statement for the last year. The previous owner wanted to determine his liability for tax arrears. He asked us to review the profit and loss statement for the last year. We have done that.

67 Complex Thinking process Simplified We, in the course of our engagement, have reviewed, as requested in a letter written by the previous owner of the restaurant in order to determine his liability for tax arrears, the profit and loss statement for the last year. The previous owner wanted to determine his liability for tax arrears. He asked us to review the profit and loss statement for the last year. We have done that. As requested by the previous owner of the restaurant, we have reviewed the profit and loss statement of the last year to help him determine his liability for tax arrears.

68 Simplification process (speaking) (writing)

69 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader (speaking) (writing)

70 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately (speaking) (writing)

71 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make (speaking) (writing)

72 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make Decide the best order to present them (speaking) (writing)

73 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make Decide the best order to present them Break into shorter sentences (speaking) (writing)

74 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make Decide the best order to present them Break into shorter sentences Straighten out twisted sentences (speaking) (writing)

75 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make Decide the best order to present them Break into shorter sentences Straighten out twisted sentences Rewrite accordingly (speaking) (writing)

76 Simplification process Put yourself in the mind of the reader Use jargon appropriately Decide the points you want to make Decide the best order to present them Break into shorter sentences Straighten out twisted sentences Rewrite accordingly (speaking) (writing)