It’s good to be an individual in business, just like in the real world. With this in mind, avoid the cliches; some turns-of-phrase are so common and overused that you’re better off avoiding them in the workplace.
The lingo of the corporate world is full of tired cliches. It’s best to avoid using these words and phrases, as a general rule. They’re more likely to usher in eye-rolls than camaraderie or understanding from your coworkers.
1. To be honest
To be honest, this is a really condescending way to start a sentence. It’s probably better to just say how you feel. There’s no need to preface it with a phrase that lets the other person know you’re about the say something they might not want to hear.
2. Circle back
Saying that you’d like to circle back to this or that farther down the road can be kind of off-putting. It’s clear that what you really want to say is that you don’t want to, or cant, do whatever it is now. It might be better to just come right out and say that instead.
3. Hit the ground running
There are better ways to show that you intend to move forward with gusto than to say that you’re going to hit the ground running. This overused phrase has become quite the cliché.
4. It is what it is
Telling someone “it is what it is” feels like the equivalent of saying “tough luck.” In essence, it’s not really a contribution at all. Nothing would be lost from the conversation if you simply said nothing. So, try another approach, like empathy or maybe a little problem solving.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”Telling someone ‘it is what it is’ feels like the equivalent of saying ‘tough luck.’ Nothing would be lost from the conversation if you simply said nothing. So, try another approach, like empathy or maybe a little problem solving.” quote=”Telling someone ‘it is what it is’ feels like the equivalent of saying ‘tough luck.’ Nothing would be lost from the conversation if you simply said nothing. So, try another approach, like empathy or maybe a little problem solving.”]
5. Receiving a download
Lately, some people (mostly young people) have started to describe having a new idea as getting a download. Despite the prevalence of technology in our lives, we haven’t reached the singularity just yet. So save the robot words for the robots and find other ways to describe your human actions and thoughts.
6. Game changer
Innovation and change is the new normal and it should be expected. Therefore, declaring something to be a game changer is a bit played out. Sometimes it’s better to let these kinds of things speak for themselves rather than making an announcement.
7. Actually…
Whenever someone starts a sentence with the word actually, they’re usually issuing a correction. If you find yourself poised to deliver a statement beginning with this word, consider whether or not you’d be better off not saying anything at all. No one really likes to be set straight in this way by their coworker.
Tell Us What You Think
Which corporate cliches rub you the wrong way? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
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