Our reader poll today asks: Which of the following phrases do you dislike the most?
- “Let’s circle back on that” – 22%
- “At the end of the day …” – 7%
- “Let’s leverage …” – 5%
- “Let’s put a pin in it” – 19%
- I hate them all – 35%
- I have no problem with any of these – 11%
What are you actually saying? It seems the vast majority of you dislike buzzwords and vapid phases, and with good reason. While this kind of jargon might sound good, it only serves to confuse listeners/readers and adds nothing to the conversation. Instead of being lazy and using the latest catch phrase, ask yourself what you’re actually trying to say. Some of the phrases are simply a waste of time (like “at the end of the day”) while others can be said more simply or precisely. Instead of saying “let’s put a pin in it” why don’t you say “let’s schedule another discussion on this topic tomorrow at 1PM”? Add precision and clarity to your language at every opportunity. It does more to drive action and not make people frustrated with jargon.
– Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC
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These results were originally a SmartPulse poll in SmartBrief on Leadership which tracks feedback from more than 240,000 business leaders. Get smarter on leadership and sign up for the SmartBrief on Leadership e-newsletter.
