Phrases Execs Use That Make You Cringe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have "proud moment of the week" so our VP can share with our senior VP via memo.

lol thats that sauce!

OMG! I think we used to work together!

[Anonymous]

I guess not phrases, but usage of odd military-based acronyms always seems to annoy people because they aren't aware of the meaning....and our agency isn't defense-related.

[Anonymous]

What's the deliverable?

A more fulsome explanation. (Huh? I thought your first one already was too obsequious.)

What's our glide path to achieving that?

We need to enhance our process, communication etc.

[Anonymous]

Out of the mainstream--particularly when used at organizations that have an initiative for pushing divergent thinking or countering group think.

[Anonymous]

Let’s take a “bio break”... eww, I don’t need to think of you using the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Anything related to a wheelhouse

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's phrases that I heard on business calls just this week :
Net net
Let's circle back on that
We don't have the bandwidth for that
Right size the project
We need to manage expectations
Let's level set here
Soup to nuts
What are our deliverables

We must work at the same company. I cannot stand “net net”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So and so is "out of pocket"

I always wonder how they are ever *in* one's pocket

No they are ref football, not a pair of trousers.

Regardless, I also HATE THIS....every corporate turd thinks they are Tom Brady on Super Bowl Sunday!!!

[Anonymous]

OMG you guys are cracking me up. I'm in consulting and hear these ALL THE TIME.

A simpler example, but one that still drives me nuts. "Why don't I reach out to him/her..." Um, you mean you're going to email him/her?

We also have "prime the pump."

To be honest, while these drive me nuts, I essentially add to the problem. Our client loves this stuff, because it makes their agency (federal agency) seem more business like. It's pandering to them and making them feel important. We often feed them lines that they then regurgitate in meetings with their higher ups. It's an emperors' new clothes situation. No one really knows what they're talking about, so they use jargon to make it sound like they do. And it spreads.


I'm going out of pocket for a while, but I'll put on my OOO. Touch base later if you need me and we can discuss synergies. My door is always open to collaboration!

[Anonymous]

Test

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's the deliverable?

A more fulsome explanation. (Huh? I thought your first one already was too obsequious.)

What's our glide path to achieving that?

We need to enhance our process, communication etc.

I'm a teacher and one of my coworkers always uses "deliverables" with the students. It drives me nuts. They are TWELVE, Karen. It's called homework. It's not a "deliverable" FFS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s take a “bio break”... eww, I don’t need to think of you using the bathroom.

Oh god this is awful

[Anonymous]

Add value
Inspire
Alignment

[Anonymous]

From a *** lens (as in "from a risk lens" . . .)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG you guys are cracking me up. I'm in consulting and hear these ALL THE TIME.

A simpler example, but one that still drives me nuts. "Why don't I reach out to him/her..." Um, you mean you're going to email him/her?

We also have "prime the pump."

To be honest, while these drive me nuts, I essentially add to the problem. Our client loves this stuff, because it makes their agency (federal agency) seem more business like. It's pandering to them and making them feel important. We often feed them lines that they then regurgitate in meetings with their higher ups. It's an emperors' new clothes situation. No one really knows what they're talking about, so they use jargon to make it sound like they do. And it spreads.


I'm going out of pocket for a while, but I'll put on my OOO. Touch base later if you need me and we can discuss synergies. My door is always open to collaboration!

This is not my experience having spent most of my career consulting in both public and private sector.

FYI, 'reach out' just means you are going to contact someone. The contact could be made via email, phone, IM, or in person. TMYK.