You've heard them all so many times that they hardly register anymore. Whether in a conference room or a casual conversation, phrases that once sounded clever have been reduced to clichés. Some of them actually are rooted in real business concepts. Others are fluff that somehow became part of the corporate lexicon. Either way, like that annoying song that stays stuck in your head, they must be ignored, erased, or replaced.
1. Outside the Box.
This worn phrase reportedly originated with a "connect the dots" puzzle popular at the Walt Disney Company.
2. Low-Hanging Fruit.
How many office workers today have even seen a real, live fruit tree?
3. Synergy
Stems from the Greek word, synergia, meaning "working together." What's Greek for "goodbye?"
4. Loop Me In
Evolved from the phrase, "in the loop," but people who actually are don't say it.
5. Best of Breed.
Works at dog shows. At work, not so much.
6. Incentivize.
Proves that some nouns should stay nouns.
7. Mission-Critical.
Appropriate for high-stakes missions, but probably overkill in your job.
8. Brings to the Table.
If you're planning a company dinner, you can keep this one.
9. Value-Add.
In economics, difference between sales price and production cost; in common usage, oversold.
And finally...
10. Elevator Pitch.
Unless you literally need to explain an idea during an elevator ride, but the stairs are healthier anyway.
By Dennis McCafferty.
No comments:
Post a Comment