It doesn’t take longer than an hour working in any kind of corporate job before you hear some ridiculously cliched business jargon. From “synergy” to “low hanging fruit,” these are the terms that make motivational speakers and mid-level executives feel cool and edgy while everyone else fights back the urge to roll their eyes. Join us now as we lean in to corporate culture and pivot to a deep dive and run some ideas up the flag pole to keep you in the loop on the new normal of business communication because, it is what it is.
24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Employees hate business jargon because not only is it overused, but it can create a fake, insincere kind of communication.
- A better choice is to use relatable language and communicate plainly and honestly with employees.
- Also: 2 Dividend Legends To Hold Forever
Why Do We Hate Business Jargon?
If you regularly use this kind of language you might wonder what the problem with terms like “the new normal,” “synergy,” or “circle back” is. You’ve heard it from motivational speakers, from colleagues and superiors at conferences, and in trendy entrepreneurial literature. Here’s why this sort of language can irritate your co-workers and subordinates.
It’s pretentious
It’s not the way people talk in regular life, so it feels like the speaker is putting on an act to create a fake impression.
It’s waaaay overused
These phrases have become completely cliched so that instead of being cutting edge, they sound unimaginative.
It’s distracting
Listeners can pay more attention to the way the speaker is talking than what they’re saying.
It can be deceptive
Overly-enthusiastic business jargon can be a passive-aggressive way to patronize others. Sometimes it’s a transparent attempt to try to make a bad situation sound unrealistically positive. People see through that.
A Better Alternative
Many employees would appreciate honest, sincere, and relatable communication from management. Instead of using artificial language that puts the leadership in a separate class from employees, it makes more sense to talk as one of them, to explain forthrightly what the situation is, what it needs to be, and how we’ll get from here to there.
So here are some of the most annoying examples of business jargon to remove from your next team meeting:
1. “Move the needle”
“We’ve put together a plan that’s really going to move the needle on our quarterly sales goals.” Are we driving a car here? Why not just say, “Here’s our plan for reaching our quarterly sales goals.”
2. “Pivot”
“In this fast-changing market, we have to be ready to pivot.” Ok. now you just made everyone remember that Friends episode about moving a sofa upstairs and Ross saying “Pivot! Pivot!” How about, “We’ll always be ready to make changes if we need to.”
3. “Let’s put a pin in this”
“There’s a lot on the agenda today, so let’s put a pin in this discussion and come back to it later.” Or instead of metaphorically tacking it to a bulletin board, we could just say, “Let’s get back to this later.”
4. “Low-hanging fruit”
“Ok, what’s the low-hanging fruit we can tackle first to get momentum going on the project?” We ain’t going apple-picking here, Susan. Just say what you mean: “What’s the easiest part of this we can do first?”
5. “Lean in” 
“Yes, there are some challenges ahead of us, but we’re going to lean in and use them to make us even stronger.” All this leaning we keep doing: how about we just drink another cup of coffee, stand up and overcome the challenge instead?
6. “The new normal”
“Using AI is becoming the new normal in business and academia.” Actually, “the new normal” is no longer “new,” it’s just “normal.” So let’s say that: “Using AI is normal now.”
7. “It is what it is”
“The new regulations from corporate are going to take some time to implement, but it is what it is.” So you just said something. Then you said, that the thing you just said is what that thing is. Why not just say it once instead of once with two arrows pointing back to it? Unless what you really mean is “we can’t change it.”
8. “Deep dive”
“Now let’s do a deep dive into the annual report.” Oh, dang. It must be Tuesday and I forgot to wear my scuba gear to the office. Could we just “take a closer look” instead?
9. “Run it up the flagpole”
“It sounds like a good plan but let’s run it up the flagpole with the advertising team to if its workable from their end.” This expression brings 2 images to mind: running up a white flag to surrender, or junior high bullies running some nerd’s undies up the flagpole at summer camp. Let’s let the American flag keep doing its thing on the flagpole and instead just ask advertising for feedback on our plan.
10. “Circle back”
“I don’t have the data for you on that but I’ll circle back to you on this tomorrow.” What’s happening here? Am I so slow you are flying circles around me? Just get back to me tomorrow, don’t tell me your flight path.
11. “Synergy”
“We need you to come in for in-person team meetings because the synergy is greater live than over zoom.” Or you could say, live meetings are more effective.
12. “Blue sky thinking”
“There are no bad ideas in this brainstorming session. Let’s have some blue sky thinking about fresh approaches.” The first thing this expression brings to mind is someone with their “head in the clouds.” Maybe say, share your biggest ideas with no limits.
13. “Game-changer”
“This new technology can be a game-changer if we are early adopters.” Unless you work at ESPN, it’s guaranteed at least half your employees don’t care a thing about sports. Sports terminology can be a real turn-off for them. If you say the technology will be “revolutionary,” “a breakthrough,” or “a turning point,” you’re communicating to everyone.
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