A study conducted by Londonoffices.com has revealed that using clichés and jargon like ‘results driven’ or ‘low hanging fruit’ will drive your co-workers into a frenzy of irritation.
A study conducted by Londonoffices.com also revealed that clichéd remarks like ‘results driven’ and ‘low hanging fruit’ drive workers into a frenzy of irritation.
However, one staff member who took part in the survey admitted they just can’t help dropping hackneyed phrases into conversation despite ‘loathing’ it themselves.
Often the amount of irritating jargon I use goes up during important presentations and meetings,’ they confessed.
‘As soon as my mouth opens I just can’t seem to hold back on clichéd phrases, and I always find myself thinking about how much of an idiot I must sound.’
THE 50 MOST ANNOYING OFFICE JARGON TERMS
1. Blue-sky thinking
2. Idea shower
3. To ‘action’ a project
4. Going forward
5. Brainstorm
6. Getting the ball rolling
7. Drill down
8. Out of the loop
9. Thinking outside the box
10. Touch base
11. Singing from the same hymn-sheet
12. Circle back
13. Strategic fit
14. Bottom line
15. Low hanging fruit
16. Win-win
17. Play hardball
18. Best practice
19. On my radar
20. Bench mark
21. Value added
22. To run an idea up the flagpole
23. Results driven
24. Revert
25. Game-plan
26. Hit the ground running
27. Customer centric
28. No ‘i’ in team
29. Back to the drawing-board
30. Re-inventing the wheel
31. Dot the ‘i’s and cross the ‘t’s
32. Action plan
33. Bells and whistles
34. Moving the goalposts
35. Back of the net
36. On the same page
37. Open door policy
38. To ‘ping’ an email
39. Kick a project into the long grass
40. Joined up thinking
41. Pick up and run with it
42. Streamline
43. Close of play
44. To take an idea or project ‘off piste’
45. Level playing field
46. Quick win
47. In the driving seat
48. No brainer
49. To ‘park’ a project
50. ASAP
No. 51 “reach out”
No. 52 “share”
No. 53 “in no way, shape or form”
At the end of the day
I would add “deep dive”.
In real time