This has probably been well-covered in Dilbert, but there are some phrases I am so sick of:
- Quickly touch base
- Reach out to
- Connect
- It is what it is
- Shoot me an email
- Give me a buzz
- Get on the horn
- Any business motivation phrase like, “Attitude determines altitude”
- In the loop
- Fill you in
- At the end of the day…
- Outside the box
- Take ownership of
- Call it a day
- The big picture
- Anything that brings up “synergy”
- Team player
- It’s a no-brainer
- Give 110%
- Hit the ground running
- Proactive
Now I’m “drawing a blank” and can’t think of the myriad business phrases that make me cringe when I hear them. So this list is just a start.
Last 3 posts by Eric
- Social Security Finally Bankrupt? - February 4th, 2010
- Business Cliches - January 15th, 2010
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This looks like a list that belongs next to the “gross words” list at your parents’ house. Please tell me that’s still up.
Haha, that’s awesome, Eric. How about:
That’s clear as mud.
Go with the flow.
Timing is everything.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
It’s a WIN-WIN situation!
The whole nine yards.
The ball is in your court.
Water under the bridge.
A good rule of thumb.
Let’s not beat a dead horse.
Take it with a grain of salt.
Get your feet wet.
Haha, those are great/terrible business cliches, Saunja. Thanks.
Rachel, the list is no longer up, but Karen might have it somewhere in her house. Maybe I should post it up here…
We would use the cliches above and give people “I love New York” nicknames if they used them a lot. For example, my senior manager was “Reach Out”.
“Reach out to” is, by far, my least favorite. I heard that phrase at least five times a day when I interned at Grant Thornton.
Why would you hear “reach out” that often at an accounting firm like Grant Thornton? Because they have a “consultative culture” meant to spread value but really just eliminating the need for anyone to really know anything and make any decisions. Sorry, I wasn’t referring to you personally, but my experiences with accounting firms.
cliche’s are hilarious and annoying. i’ll admit i’m guilty though, when i’m searching for the right communication, sometimes a cliche fits perfectly.
Here’s some i’ve heard before … didn’t understand all though.
Hold down the fort
Put the nail in the coffin
Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours
Trying to keep the all balls juggling
“T” that up for us
It’s not best in class…but i mean
On the up and up
Circle the wagons
Now that the tail is cut off of the dog (if some can explain please)
Get your ducks all lined in a row
You’re golden
At the end of the day…
Locked and loaded
… the low hanging fruit
The Devil’s in the details (never hear this at an accounting firm)
At what point does a saying become a cliche? like, I’m going to the restroom. I mean, what does that mean?
Yeah, that’s a good question. When does a certain set of words become a cliche? I think the first requirement for a cliche is that the phrase does not literally mean what society understands it to mean. And then, and this would be the second requirement I think, the first time someone says the phrase without thinking, you know, “just tossing it out there”, it becomes a cliche.
And yes, I agree, sometimes a cliche works the best because you know the person listening to you fully understands the cliche too. But I also think everyone should strive to speak originally, or at least try to express themselves clearly, even if it requires a few more words, and not “just go with the flow”.