Ever get tired of being asked to “give 110%” of yourself? As if you could self-clone on the spot, or instantaneously multiply, in order to ‘better- support’ team needs?
How do you feel when advised not to “open the kimono” (this can sometimes happen when the 'idea hamsters' on the 'bleeding-edge' that you work with - haven't finished their testing yet). If your answer is "ready to take action" - then you may want to enter our Useless Jargon Giveaway where you might be randomly chosen to win a $50 Visa Gift Card* for submitting a workplace catchphrase that you think should be removed from the vocabulary.
Here’s the situation: Since 1976, Michigan’s Lake Superior State University has been doing great work polling and raising awareness about words that ought to be outright banned from everyday language use. Prior winners include:
Teachable moment | Intellectually bankrupt | Boneless wings |
Amazing | Win the future | Thank you in advance |
Refudiate | A-ha moment | Man up |
Game changer | Perfect Storm | Shovel-ready |
Staycation | Man cave | Under the bus |
Awesome | Talking Points | Friend-raising |
Junk Science | It is what it is | Pwn |
Curate | Cra-Cra | Hacks |
and even though you may still be receiving emails every day that use the word "amazing" three or more times to describe things that, well, aren't - it's reassuring to know that there are entities out there keeping track of this stuff.
But what about the parade of meaningless business expressions that are impossible for the average al desko luncher to avoid hearing in the workplace? Terms like core competencies, buy-in, empowerment, taking it to the next level and learnings (that most cringeworthy of the verbs-turned-noun, do you agree?) can now be submitted for inclusion in our directory of the most cloying words in memospeak!
TO ENTER, simply tell us in the comments below - which business jargon word or phrase you’d like to never hear again, and you’ll be automatically entered to win a $50 Visa Gift Card!
Good luck everybody! Oh, and we promise, if you win we will not be 'reaching-out' to you. Instead, we will contact you via email. ;)
*Open now through January 27, 2015 to US residents 18 years or older.
Congratulations to Lucky Winner! tsmith4
Cra-Cra
"Bomb.com" maybe there is an actual website but I'm not about to find out.
"new" on any and everything, whether the product has been around forever or actually new on the market
I hate when my boss says "all hands on deck ".
Guaranteed or your money back.
Mine has to be Den !!! I see you Later Den! Ok Den! I see how you is Den!!!!!!!!! Really A den is a comfortable, usually secluded room in a house or a place where animals live and hide! Sorry its not but one more letter to spell its right!!!!! (DEN) (THEN) Sorry it makes a person sound so Illiterate when they talk like this !!!!!!!!!!!!
The phrase " I have so much on my plate right now, lets back burner this topic for now"
Uncycle
outside of the box
I hate one that has been on that list already...curate.. in the blogging business as in curate a blog post. Why can't we just say write? OK, so more goes into posts today than just writing it but that word irks me to no end. So happy when I saw this question posed, been wanting to sound off on that for some time.
I feel like everyone thinks they're a "foodie" nowadays. That word should go!
Think outside the box!
Walk the talk
Cra-Cra and Friend-raising
I'm sick of hearing, "Affordable" or "Pay Only" .......