CORPORATE LINGO HOW TO

After the 3,000th time, it started to wear thin. Okay, you probably laughed the first time you heard this one. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to return to “findings” or even “what we’ve learned”? “Make sure the juice is worth the squeeze” Not content with the existing word, the jargon makers turned “learning” into a noun, pluralized it, and added “key” for an extra dash of hype. Once upon a time, we’d conduct studies or market tests and come up with a set of findings. “Thought leader” is puffery, as are “ninja,” “guru” and “rock star.” What to say instead: “expert” or “authority.” Key Learnings Pretentious much? In these days of constant self-promotion, vague but lofty terms like this abound. This phrase won a 2012 Forbes Magazine poll as “the single most annoying example of business jargon.” What to say instead: “Don’t be misled.” “Think for yourself.” By alluding to the 1978 Jonestown massacre, it warns against following a dangerous trend or set of beliefs. This has to be the most tasteless of all corporate clichés. “You’d be great at this!” “Drink the Kool-Aid” If you’re too busy to engage at the moment, it’s better to express it directly: “Can we talk about this later?” Wheelhouseĭo we really need to compare ourselves to old-time sea captains just to say we’re good at something? Instead of “This is in your wheelhouse,” try dropping the metaphor. “Let’s take this offline” is an obvious euphemism for “I don’t want to deal with this right now.” It vaguely suggests that you might bring the issue back “online” at some point, but there are no promises. What to say instead: “easy opportunities” or “easy pickings.” “Take it offline” “Leverage” can imply a need to exploit untapped potential, but too often it’s just another fancy word for “use.” If you need something more nuanced than “use,” try “capitalize on.” Low-hanging fruitĪs a metaphor, there’s nothing inherently wrong with “low-hanging fruit.” Unfortunately, years of repetition have made it a tired, old cliché. Whoever makes up corporate jargon loves to turn nouns into verbs. And why say “have a conversation” when “talk” does the job more efficiently? What to say instead: “We should talk about that.” “We should discuss that.” Leverage When did we start talking around things instead of about them? Talking around an issue sounds like we don’t want to address it head-on. “We need to have a conversation around that.”

Imagine Obi-Wan saying, “Utilize the Force, Luke!” Weak, right? Just say “use.” “Utilize” is just a puffed-up way of saying the same thing. The verb “use” is clear, concise and unobtrusive. What to say instead: “Think differently.” “Explore new ideas.” Utilize How old is this phrase? Decades? Centuries? It probably dates back to the invention of the box! It’s ironic that so many people use this worn-out cliché to encourage innovative thinking. “Synergize” comes from two Greek roots: syn, meaning “together,” and erg, meaning “work.” Hey, here’s a thought: maybe say “work together” instead.

Business leaders use it all the time when trying to sound professional. This is one of the most common (and most reviled) of all corporate buzzwords. Here are 20 examples of overused business jargon, along with some plain English phrases you can use instead. We’ll never eradicate them, but we can at least fight back. Click on a link or two, and you’ll even find a few right here on the C2FO website. That’s why they’re so overused - and so grating!Įven people who hate corporate buzzwords often fall back on them when a better word doesn’t spring to mind. While there’s nothing wrong with specialized language for business-related concepts, buzzwords have a way of becoming easy substitutes for clear communication. “Let’s get our ducks in a row.” “I’ll circle back on that.” “Ping me!”īusiness jargon is everywhere in today’s workplace, and it shows no signs of abating.

CORPORATE LINGO HOW TO

Here’s how to avoid 20 of the most tiresome buzzwords and expressions. Even original thinkers can fall into the business cliché trap.

Corporate lingo