I Just Got a Buzzword Bingo!

Let's dive into the world of Buzzwords/Corporate Speak. You hear it, you might even use it, but is it more impactful than straight-shooting words? We've all been there, scratching our heads, wondering if these phrases were cooked up in some top secret "buzzword" lab. Here are some current buzzwords that get on my nerve (and you know I only have the one).

• Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze? Seriously, if I never hear this phrase again, I would be thrilled. Are you juicing fruits in the office? Just get to the point!

• Let's Circle Back. We can thank Jen Psaki for this one. Feels like you’re playing telephone tag, and NOBODY ever wins. Let's just say we'll chat later, plain and simple.

• Boil the Ocean. I. Can’t. Even. Unless you're trying to be the world's largest tea maker, let's not make things more complicated than they need to be!

• Snackable Content. I’ve been guilty of using this one. Snacks are rarely provided, and you can’t eat content.

• Give 110%. Unless this is some new Common Core math, last I checked the MAX anyone could give was 100%. How about we stick to giving our all?

• Best Practice. Who decided what's "best" for everyone? Shouldn’t we aim for what works for US, and not simply follow the crowd?

• Core Competency. Forget the corporate buzz, this is just what we're good at, plain and simple.

• It Is What It Is. Deep thoughts from Captain Obvious.

• Low Hanging Fruit. Are we discussing fruit picking or easy wins? Let's be clear!

• Tiger Team. I’ve been on these teams and there are no tigers. Totally disappointing.

Face it. None of these phrases are game changers – and they certainly don’t reflect your core values. It might be blue-sky thinking to believe we can make things simpler, but it’s mission critical that we do. We need to trim the fat from our business vocabulary and come to a hard stop. Just drill down to the simplest terms to keep people in the loop. No one has the bandwidth to stop and figure out all the key takeaways! Seriously, do a paradigm shift and just say what you mean.

See what I did there? Why am I not sitting in the C-Suite somewhere?

In my opinion, buzzwords have been so overused that they’ve lost meaning. Is it just me? What corporate lingo or business buzzwords drive you crazy? Spill ‘em!

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