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You walk into your next meeting and open with a bold statement. Your team listens as you describe where the business is at and what you’re going to do to make it better. There’s one problem though - every other sentence is filled with buzzwords, jargon or acronyms. You may say it's an industry standard, however, research has shown that using too many buzzwords can prevent people from taking you seriously or even understanding what you mean.
These are some of the workplace buzzwords you should avoid using.
1. Leverage
The word leverage is a buzzword that means to use something to maximum advantage. It's frequently heard in business meetings and the hallways of business schools around the world. Leverage is a great example of a buzzword that almost always sounds silly when spoken aloud. It simply doesn't work when used in conversations. If you want to sound more professional, try using words like use or employ instead.
2. Actionable
When something is actionable, it means it is practical and implementable. It is used when describing a plan or solution to a problem. The word actionable gives no additional meaning and can often make your sentence sound more confusing than what it needs to be. Instead of saying “This information will give us actionable insights,” try saying “This information will provide useful insights for our next steps.” If you want to sound actionable, try using these words instead: practical, realistic or results-driven.
3. Deliverable
The word “deliverable” is a staple of many vocabularies. It is a business term that refers to anything that is produced or delivered as part of a project. It's not clear what the deliverable will be, or when it will be delivered, but it's suggested that there is something concrete and valuable at stake.
In general, deliverable is fine if you’re referring to something that will be delivered, but the vast majority of the time you can use a much more specific word. For example, if you’re referring to something tangible, like a piece of hardware or software, then you should use the term output instead. If you need to refer to something like meeting minutes or other documents, use document instead. And if you want to talk about meetings themselves try calling them meetings instead of deliverables.
4. Due diligence
Diligence is one of those words that would be easy to throw around at work. You probably already do it in your day-to-day communications, whether you're laying out your company's strategies or telling a colleague about the latest research you've done on a topic.
The term "due diligence" carries a connotation of being careful and thorough, but it also has negative connotations because of the way it is often used in legal matters. You could just say that you are looking into something carefully before making a decision instead of using this phrase.
5. Empowerment
This term has been around for quite some time and has become so diluted it no longer carries much weight. It has become a cliché that people use to describe various things from empowerment programs to empowerment conferences.
If you are finding yourself using the word empowerment in meetings, you should stop immediately. It is a word that has become so overused in the workplace that it has lost any meaning and has become just another buzzword. Instead of saying "I want to empower John," say what you mean by, "John will lead the group."
6. Paradigm shift
This phrase is used so often that many people don't even know what it means anymore, which renders it pretty much useless in most contexts. A paradigm shift occurs when there's a fundamental change in a model or theory — like when Einstein developed his theory of relativity. In other words, it's not something that happens every day at work. A “paradigm shift” is an extreme change in perception and the way things have been done or viewed previously.
7. Synergy
Synergy is one of the buzzwords that sounds smart but often doesn't clearly drive the point home. The most common definition of synergy is "working together effectively." The problem with this term is that it does not specify the type of working together. Synergy has become an overused buzzword that people use when they have no idea what to say. When someone asks you about synergy, ask them what they mean by it, as you may have a different interpretation of its meaning than they do. It’s best to avoid this term altogether.
8. This is a win-win situation
This phrase is meant to indicate that parties involved in an agreement benefited equally from the outcome. However, one party can win more than the other party in an agreement — and it can happen more often than not.
You might think that win/win makes you sound like a good negotiator, but most people know that there's often a winner and loser in negotiations. So keep this word out of your vocabulary and focus on the actual details of the deal instead of how "fair" or "amicable" it is for both parties.
9. It’s time to deep dive into this issue
This phrase is used when someone wants to delve into a subject more deeply. It's often used in meetings where a lot needs to be discussed and time is limited. So someone might suggest that the discussion about 'deeper dives' be saved for another meeting.
10. Think outside the box
This phrase has been so overused that it doesn't inspire as much as it used to. Everyone claims to be thinking outside the box, but very few people do anything different. Instead of saying this tired phrase, talk about what you’re planning to do differently and why this approach makes sense for your company. What it means, think creatively instead of doing things the same way you've always done them before.
11. Game changer
Telling me that something is a game-changer is like telling me that I’m going to love your favorite movie. I might, but it’s better to let me decide for myself rather than lead with that kind of hyperbole. If you want to convince someone of the merits of an idea, start by stating how it works and why it’s effective or innovative. You don’t need to put it in all caps to make it stand out.
12. Bandwidth
This word is often used as a substitute for "time." When someone asks whether you have the bandwidth for a new project, what they're asking is whether you'll be able to get it done within the deadline. So why not just ask if you can get it done within the deadline? Also, having limited bandwidth is something that happens when your Wi-Fi connection is slow.
13. Innovative
Innovation is a great thing, but "innovative" is one of those words that sounds impressive in theory and is difficult to define in practice. What counts as innovative to one person might just be "a good idea" to another, and vice versa. How would you sell your boss on an "innovative" idea? It's better to describe innovation in concrete terms, such as describing how it solves problems or why it's better than the current system.
Conclusion
It’s easy to get carried away with buzzwords, especially in the workplace when you’re trying to dazzle your colleagues. However, not everyone is as impressed with these trendy words as you are. Some of those terms might even be detrimental to your career because they are overused and may cause more confusion than clarity.
What other buzzwords are you tired of hearing? Share with us in the comment section below.