Bzzzz! Bzzzz! Buzzwords Be Gone!
People say they hate corporate buzzwords, but that doesn't stop them from using them. Here's a look at the buzzword biggest offenders.
- Our inspiration for #badbuzzwords? Corporate use of the word "innovation." Has it lost its meaning? Yes, said a slew of WSJ readers.
Calling an activity "Innovating" when the organization merely mimicking competitors. #badbuzzwords- But wait, there's more. It's not just "innovation" that drives people crazy. Try some of these.
Innovation, optimization, best practices, strategize, synergy, facilitate, touch base, low hanging fruit, etc....are all basically pretty useless terms and mainstays on just about everyone's Bullshit Bingo card. Whenever I am in a meeting and hear more than one of these terms used I instinctively and immediately know that the meeting will produce nothing of any real importance.- When people start hearing these words, many just tune out.
Every word is becoming meaningless, every time a word is used by marketing execs to flog product it loses a little bit of its potency, 'love', 'crisis', 'innovation' 'epidemic' 'smart' 'meta' 'advance', I'm sure the list innumerable... All words bludgeoned to death by media, social media and marketing- Or, as one reader so elegantly put it, it's just a case of --
- Were there other words out that people didn't like? Yup.
Leverage? RT @WSJ: Synergy, Pivot. What are the worst buzzwords? Which are u guilty of using? Tell us w/ #badbuzzwords on.wsj.com/L8r7Cd- Sorry Lisa Marie:
But I like "synergy." MT @WSJ: “Synergy.” “Pivot.” What are the worst buzzwords you are guilty of using? #badbuzzwords bit.ly/JFXLGI- And the list goes on and on and on...
- Are buzzwords by definition nonsensical? Perhaps.
- Finally, there were a few buzz phrases came under attack. Here's a look at what rankled readers most:
- Keep this in mind next time you "circle back" with a client on your "innovation" "strategies" for your latest "out of the box" product "brainstorm." Just saying.
