I would love to hear some real work conversation from some real people. I mean people who don't speak current workspeak. You know the type: the ones that desperately want you to think that they are "in the know", "up-to-date", savvy, synchronized but frankly, silly.
Sometimes, I wonder what some of the phrases really mean. And, who started this stuff anyway? Who is it that starts anything? Like the politicians who come on stage at a convention and point into the crowd with one finger shaped like a pistol to acknowledge unknown, unseen "someones." For god's sake, there are 300,000 people there and the camera shows the politician making a surprised, "Oh, look who's here" face while pointing at that unseen person. You can put $.25 on that it's going to happen at each and every convention. Who started that?
Back to the irritating words. Once I hear these cliches, I actually tune out. I don't hear what's coming next because I've mentally taken a vacation right from the first few words. They didn't have me at hello. They pushed me out the door.
Here's my list. Feel free to add to it in the comment section. I'm sure you'll have lots to say, particularly the next time someone has a work conversation with you and says something like, "I'm reaching out to you to see if, at the end of the day, you'll agree that we are the premiere law firm. Our key stakeholders will drill down and find issues not yet on your radar." Or, something like that.
Here we go:
1. At the end of the day
2. If you will
3. Premiere law firm/organization/company
4. On our radar
5. Drill down
6. Going forward
7. Touch base
8. No brainer
9. Best of the best
10. Think outside the box
11. Best in class
12. Transparency
13. Wheelhouse
14. Deliverable
15. Actionable
16. Dive deeper
17. Run the numbers
18. Organically
19. Circle back
20. Move the needle on this
21. I'll ping you
22. The bottom line is
23. Take it to a whole 'nother level
24. I'm on it
25. It is what it is
26. Employee on-boarding
27. Conversate (Really?)
28. Shout out
29. Synergy
30. The optics don't look good (What are we – at Lenscrafters?)
31. Trending
32. Best practices
33. It's all good
34. Starting a conversation or answering a question with, "So…"
35. Cutting edge
36. Put a pin in it
37. 30,000 feet
Even though these are not necessarily business terms, I also hate it when I hear, "You go girl" or "You rock." I don't rock. Trust me. I don't rock.
