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Jargon Moves the Needle Down
Buzzwords used as a value-add are really signs of weakness
Business jargon is insidious, finding a way to creep into every workplace. Much as kudzu infests entire landscapes, jargon chokes off good communication.
Simple ideas gradually turn into overly complicated phrases played on a loop that stifles spontaneity. Terms such as “circle back” or “low-hanging fruit” might sound impressive at first, but they soon leave people rolling their eyes or feeling disconnected.
Overused business buzzwords or phrases can take a hike as far as Tom Reid was concerned as he dove in and pivoted from one bad example to the next.
Effective Communication Gives Even a Small Business a Real Edge
“‘Synergy’ or any death metaphors need to go away,” he said. “I’m thinking of ‘killing the competition’ or ‘blowing it up.‘“
Reid encounters business talk going off the rails every day in his business and academic lives.
The contracting and leadership expert has been hunting the elusive leadership ideal, compiling a work breakdown structure, or WBS. From that he has written “Sustained Leader WBS,” a comprehensive tool for assessing and improving leadership potential.
