Most Overused Lingo at the Office
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Biz-speak. Buzz words. Overused lingo. Call it what you will, we all have our lingua pet-peeves. Why do employees overuse words that, oftentimes, aren’t even real words?
Among some popular “officespeak” terms: net-net, ping, touch base, deliverable, incentivize, impactful, learnings, synergy, influencer. Or what about those TPS reports?
“Words get ingrained at work but it shows you are speaking the office vernacular,” Michelle Goodman, career and workplace columnist, said. “On the one hand, we’re trying to speak the language at work and fit in. But the downside is it bothers some people and creeps into your social life.”
Goodman said every industry has its own idioms, and the tech industry often has the most new phrases. Her least-favorite terms?
“Circle back and take this offline are two that drive me crazy. It’s just a wonky way to talk,” she said.
Another “weird” one, she said, tech companies use to describe using their own products: eat your own dog food.
“They also call it dog-fooding which is ridiculous. It’s software jargon,” she said. “That’s one I thought was so weird. It’s not really a great analogy either because dog foods to humans is a gross concept.”
Tell us what phrases you think should be taken offline.
Other words and phrases that can be overused:
- low-hanging fruit
- think outside the box
- not in my wheelhouse
- leverage
- metrics
- paradigm shift
- Chinese firewall
- value-add
- build the deck
- shoot me an email
- hold the fort
- synergies/synergistic
- key insights
- key drivers
- key takeaways
- high level overview
- best practice
- action items
- next steps
- value proposition
- table this
- hard stop
- boil the ocean
- circle the wagons
- throw it against the wall and see what sticks
- parachute in
- low-cost country sourcing
- efforting
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Posted by: T.J. G | September 1, 2011, 4:42 pm 4:42 pm
ASAP
You scratch my back, i scratch your back.
Posted by: Addy | September 1, 2011, 4:59 pm 4:59 pm
In addition to the words and phrases listed in the article, the use of acronyms, particularly within government agencies. Instead of pronouncing the word, shortcut with acronyms is routine, e.g., HRM (human resource management), DHS (Dept of Human Services), VHA, VBA (Veterans Health & Benefits Administrations, perspectively). Acronyms are infectious.
Posted by: Linda Ellis | September 1, 2011, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm
“At the end of the day….”
Posted by: uark83 | September 1, 2011, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
I hate the phrases “partner up with” and “team player”.
Posted by: Dan Shill | September 1, 2011, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
Hate being called a “super-user”!!! Just a way for a boss to not learn a program or process and then be able to dump problems with it onto someone else.
Posted by: glofish54 | September 1, 2011, 5:46 pm 5:46 pm
wonky.
Posted by: LC | September 1, 2011, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
Sometimes overused, this one does have a real purpose and sets a sometimes needed stage: “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over.”
Posted by: Gene | September 1, 2011, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
How could you have overlooked “skill set”?
Posted by: lindan hill | September 1, 2011, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
The devil’s in the details!
Posted by: LK | September 1, 2011, 6:54 pm 6:54 pm
Priorties, tasking
Posted by: Tatem | September 1, 2011, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
I work at a repo company where “drive it like you stole it” is kinda popular.
Posted by: kim | September 1, 2011, 7:27 pm 7:27 pm
value engineered – meaning ‘we cut this effective and vital piece of the project because we don’t understand the project and want to save money’
Posted by: Just Sayin | September 1, 2011, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
“Grow the company” is nails on chalkboard to me. Value Engineered! LOL In my profession: replace quality system with garbage, over pay for the garage but enjoy the illusion of “saving money”.
Posted by: shepard245 | September 1, 2011, 7:53 pm 7:53 pm
The fact of the matter, what is is, have a good’n
Posted by: feu | September 1, 2011, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm
Socializing
Posted by: E Harris | September 1, 2011, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
First and Foremost
Posted by: Smiller1 | September 1, 2011, 9:30 pm 9:30 pm
i loathe EFFECTIVE and EFFICIENT
Posted by: Jennifer Gauthier | September 1, 2011, 9:42 pm 9:42 pm
I’m sorry, sir, but your order is not (are you ready for this?) UPSable. How ridiculous.
Posted by: Deborah | September 1, 2011, 9:54 pm 9:54 pm
Make it happen, baby.
[We're all] One brick short of a load.
[Men are] Pond scum.
Unlocatable.
Posted by: In Iure | September 1, 2011, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
Value-added, non-value added
Posted by: SMDSMS | September 1, 2011, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm
“We’re all on the same team,” usually said before we’re tasked to pull some other team’s chestnuts out of the fire, almost always to our own detriment.
Posted by: Ed | September 1, 2011, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
The one I hate the most: ‘Let’s VET this out’
Posted by: Shawn | September 1, 2011, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
The 500ib Gorilla in the room,I would not be in a room with a 500lb Gorilla.
Posted by: aveodnam | September 2, 2011, 12:16 am 12:16 am
a couple that drive me up the @$@!%!@#@ well are: GOING FORWARD…and SOCIAL MEDIA…
I think much of the “cutting edge” marketing jargon is the worst..anything where cleverness is turned loose on the latest and sexiest web tech and web tricks!! I hate sales jargon and all the positive NLP type seminar crap and infects so many industries…God help us
Posted by: Rik | September 2, 2011, 4:39 am 4:39 am
“This area needs to 5S’d”
…also “basically” is the most overused crutch word these days from the boiler room to the board room. I’d rather hear a person just use “ummm” or “uhhh” than continually belch out “basically” every other word.
Posted by: Randy Smith | September 2, 2011, 6:02 am 6:02 am
In terms of
Posted by: Dan Howland | September 2, 2011, 7:51 am 7:51 am
“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel” Ugh.
Posted by: uyfihih | September 2, 2011, 7:57 am 7:57 am
The guy who sits directly across from me uses terminology like “get on board”, I just reached out to …” It drives me nuts!
Posted by: wendy | September 2, 2011, 9:00 am 9:00 am
My department is constantly being reminded of how we need to be “providing lift to the business.” Ugh…
Posted by: Dave | September 2, 2011, 9:13 am 9:13 am
“Low-hanging fruit” is not just overused, it’s embarrassing. Reminds me of the last time I shopped for a bra. You mature ladies know what I’m talkin’ about.
Posted by: yolandah | September 2, 2011, 9:15 am 9:15 am
Over-used words:
a an the this that it
Words that are not used enough:
thing-a-ma-jig molasses harbinger turncoat
Posted by: Dugese | September 2, 2011, 10:59 am 10:59 am
holistic approach, putting out fires/firedrills, drill down, hard stop, competitive advantage…
and for obvious reasons… job eliminated. Try to sugarcoat that, why don’t you.
Posted by: Lydia | September 2, 2011, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Overused acronyms get on my nerves..the one that comes to mind…RIF…”reduction in force”. Also “right-sizing”. Both are supposed to be nice ways to say “we fired 15 people last week”.
Posted by: Cooper | September 2, 2011, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
I thought of another one….”SME”- subject matter expert. You get called an SME when everyone else is a slacker and too lazy to learn something new so they just come to you with a million questions.
Posted by: Cooper | September 2, 2011, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
Overused catch phrases from the OFFICE of the Whitehouse
we’re facing headwinds.
holding it hostage.
let me be clear
the notion is
my attitute is is that
Posted by: Dianne93101 | September 3, 2011, 3:05 am 3:05 am
“It is what it is”. IMO a waste of perfectly good air. Not only have you stated the obvious you’ve simultaneously demotivated me. If “it is what it is” why bother trying to improve it.
Posted by: Ryan W | September 3, 2011, 2:00 pm 2:00 pm
“In a perfect world…”
That phrase bugs the crap out of me!
Posted by: Will | September 6, 2011, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
“No offense but…”
“I looks great but…”
Posted by: Chrispy | September 6, 2011, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
As long as we’re ON THE SAME PAGE!
Posted by: Elizabeth S. | September 8, 2011, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
Any description of effort which exceeds 100 percent, ugh.
Ex. “He gave us 110% on that last job!”
And the exclamation point is absolutely required there, too.
Posted by: Algot Runeman | September 8, 2011, 4:49 pm 4:49 pm
What about “Ping me” and “Buzz me”….
“AnywayS” see you next time. Got to go. BRB. I have a busy day ahead..need to work “24X7″ to “push the envelope” and “think out of the box”.
When I heard the term “touch base” for the first time many years ago, I actually felt offended..touch what?? Eventually I had no choice but to “go with the flow” !!! :)
Posted by: Priya | September 9, 2011, 2:05 pm 2:05 pm
I can’t stand “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.” Anyone who utters that phrase should have a bar of soap stuck in their mouth.
Posted by: Buddy | October 30, 2011, 1:30 am 1:30 am
“Rollout” or “rolling out” – if we were allowed to drink in the office, that would be my new favorite game. At the end of an hour long meeting, I would fall down as soon as I stood up!
“Initiative” is another favorite!
Posted by: TLMN | November 3, 2011, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm
Having said that….
Posted by: Heffie | November 3, 2011, 4:28 pm 4:28 pm
Death to “Social Media”. Having said that…
Posted by: Heffie | November 3, 2011, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
“Vay-Cay” Is it so hard to say “shun” also?! As in “I have 5 days of vaca left..” UGH!!
Posted by: Erked | December 13, 2011, 10:46 am 10:46 am