15 Choices For Reclaiming Annoying Jargon

An Autumn 22 survey of most annoying business jargon in English offices produced these fifteen worst offenders.

Well, can 4,500 people be wrong?

For starters, surely that definition of synergy is not quite right?

The classic b-school shorthand has long been;

2 + 2 = 5

Even the google's promoted meaning shows a differing context;

the interaction or cooperation of two or more organisations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

With their entertaining, if oblique, example;

"the synergy between artist and record company".

In short, synergy may well derive from greater efficiencies, but not necessarily from more collaboration.

Indeed, you could make a case that the traditional mainstay of M&A synergy, consequent rationalisation, is in fact the opposite of collaboration.

You needn't be considered a pedant to take umbrage at other of these supposed definitions either.

Proactive, Onboarding, Mission Critical, Scalable.

Yet there's a serious selling point in the midst of this recruitment site PR.

First off, internally.

Where are you guilty of using such terms?

How come? Should you be? What better alternatives might exist?

You could further examine how you allow each one in a positive way for your clients.

Which brings us to the second setting; externally.

Here's one unlikely scenario, but it should paint a picture of where you can go with this.

Show your prospect this list.

Ask if they agree.

Ask which sticks out the most on their ship.

Ask if there's another undesirable word not featured here that pervades their workplace.

There's a chance that the current thinking, direction and focus of where they're going is betrayed by such phrase.

And if you know it, you can reclaim it for your advantage.