4 reasons why we must stop corporate speak

From jargon to genuine dialogue — paving the path

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” — George Bernard Shaw.

How many times have you been in a meeting and someone ask what an acronym means? Or someone uses the phrase “let’s think outside the box?” Are you tired? So am I? Seriously if someone uses the expression “lets table that,” I might lose it. Okay — maybe that’s hyperbole but it is something I find extremely annoying and is received immediately with a tuning out as I go off camera, and continue my work, knowing full well that I have heard it all before.

Undoubtedly every community has its own esoteric customs, including unique ways of communicating and conducting activities. It’s a way of including and excluding people - those in the know and those not in the know. But mostly, these esoteric customs, especially, when it comes to language, leaves much to be desired. In this post, I explore corporate speak — yes, jargon — the peculiar dialect of the business world that if you’re not doing it, you don’t sound like you fit into that world. And frankly, take it from me, you’re better off not conforming.