Official Lingos

I Read a survey somewhere, dont remember the name.. on the most overused words at the workplace. It seems “viral” and “leverage” win among the most annoying and overused jargon, cliches and buzzwords in office.

In that Survey, the executives were asked, “What is the most annoying or overused phrase or buzzword in the workplace today?”

Their responses included:

• Leverage: As in, “We intend to leverage our investment in IT infrastructure across multiple business units to drive profits.”

• Reach out: As in, “Remember to reach out to customers impacted by the change.”

• It is what it is: As in, “The server is down today, and clients are irate. It is what it is.”

• Viral: As in, “Our video has gone viral.”

• Game changer: As in, “Transitioning from products to solutions was a game changer for our company.”

• Disconnect: As in, “There is a disconnect between what the consumer wants and what the product provides.”

• Value-add: As in, “We have to evaluate the value-add of this activity before we spend more on it.”

• Circle back: As in, “I’m heading out of the office now, but I will circle back with you later.”

• Socialize: As in, “We need to socialize this concept with our key stakeholders.”

• Interface: As in, “My job requires me to interface with all levels of the organization.”

• Cutting edge: As in, “Our cutting-edge technology gives us a competitive advantage.”

The staffing firm conducted a similar survey in 2004. The following “Hall-of-Fame” buzzwords were cited in both surveys:

• At the end of the day

• Synergy

• Solution

• Think outside the box

• On the same page

Just think, what words annoy you most when your boss is giving you gyan?