What’s All the Buzz About?
Last year researchers at Oxford University published a list of the most irritating words and phrases. (Read my blog post and the Oxford list here.) Executives have now come up with their own list of overused clichés in the workplace.
“When business or industry terms become overused, people stop paying attention to them,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, one of the world’s largest staffing firms, asked 150 senior executives, “What is the most annoying or overused phrase or buzzword in the workplace today?” Their responses included these:
Most Annoying / Overused Phrases or Buzzwords:
- Leverage: As in, “We intend to leverage our investment in IT infrastructure across multiple business units to drive profits.”
- Reach out: As in, “Remember to reach out to customers impacted by the change.”
- It is what it is: As in, “The server is down today, and clients are irate. It is what it is.”
- Viral: As in, “Our video has gone viral.”
- Game changer: As in, “Transitioning from products to solutions was a game changer for our company.”
- Disconnect: As in, “There is a disconnect between what the consumer wants and what the product provides.”
- Value-add: As in, “We have to evaluate the value-add of this activity before we spend more on it.”
- Circle back: As in, “I’m heading out of the office now, but I will circle back with you later.”
- Socialize: As in, “We need to socialize this concept with our key stakeholders.”
- Interface: As in, “My job requires me to interface with all levels of the organization.”
- Cutting edge: As in, “Our cutting-edge technology gives us a competitive advantage.”
The next time one of these words or phrases starts to roll off your tongue, shut your mouth. Instead aim for originality and specificity.
(Read the rest of the survey results.)
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