This week, we engage with our synergistic dynamic by eating our own dogfood in the audio-podding arena to leverage some low-hanging fruit in order to fashion a new paradigm to bring convergence to multi-platform ideas and solution all that ails corporate speak. In simpler terms: we’re talking about clear communication and the abuse of buzzwords. Along the way, we talk quite a bit about office attitudes in general — going as far as revealing secrets that might allow you to work less, but appear to be doing more. But this episode is mostly about the way people talk — and why we’d do well to consider direct communication, instead of talking above the bar in an effort to further our brand-attitude as an outlying linguistic ninja thinking outside the box where the rubber meets the road, but really…just not caring about the message.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
LOL! I count my blessings that I’ve not had to put up with this sort of thing yet (of course, most of that is because I’m a housewife and I’d like to change that). It would drive me crazy and I’d probably be the crazy woman who got in trouble for screaming at people to just speak like a normal person. This was a funny episode! And yes — count how many times a news program uses the word “impact.” It definitely has lost its impact in this day and age. Also, you’ve told me about this phrase and forgot to mention it on the show… “open the kimono”… I don’t know why, but that phrase just creeps me out in that “maybe we should talk to HR” kinda way. *shudders*
Open the Kimono!!! So many we couldn’t get to in this episode, and that’s one of them! The first time I heard it…a guy bigger than ME said it, and I thought, “I don’t want to see what’s beneath your friggin’ kimono!”
Not to mention how offensive it is. So many places USING that buzz phrase would LOVE to do business in Japan…BUT…the lack of respect to an entire people in that phrase is staggering. And…I’m not easy to offend! But I respect people I work with, and consider, “MAYBE one of the nations that has excelled at business like few others…just MIGHT NOT LIKE such a stupid buzz phrase!”
As you mentioned, in my mind — and I’ll profess right here to being crass behind closed doors, but nothing but respectful in business…when I hear “Open the kimono,” you may as well have slapped me in the face!
Ugh!!!
It’s not hard to simply communicate; in fact, I’d argue that simple communication shows a level of respect no buzzword, buzzphrase, or cliche ever can!
Solutionize solutionable pre-solutions! Spearhead the network initiative. Impact the impactful paradigjigm, sprinting at 200%. Buzzword the low-hanging dogfood. Thanks, guys, I may have to utilize these wordsmithinations to monetize my preemptive consumerism.
Don’t forget to secure buy-ins from other departments before you do!