Buzzwords to Kill in 2010

[Granny Jill A]

What buzzwords would you like to see go away forever in 2010?

My personal favorite is "moving forward". I hear that A LOT at those interminable meetings I have to sit through.

I would also like to see the word PARADIGM banned from the English language.

What words or phrases do you love to hate?

[Ian]

Oh man ... this is one of my biggest pet peeves. I just can't stand that corporate double-talk people use to make themselves sound smarter than they really are.

Here are my top five most hated buzzwords:

5. Synergy(ies) - Most people who use this word don't even know what a synergy is! I hear it misused almost on a daily basis.
4. Bandwidth - Yes, yes ... we know you're all IT hip and savvy so you want to use these technical terms in business sense, but really if you don't actually know what bandwidth really is then you should be banned from using this word in any other context.
3. Offline - See above.
2. Leverage - Ugh. It makes me want to vomit everytime I hear someone say leverage. What really gets me is the people who pick up on it from the folks who use it at least somewhat correctly and then just try and shoehorn it in to every conversation they have so they sound important. I once had a woman on a conference call use the word leverage three times in one sentence!! Enough!!!

And the number one most overused buzzword in Corporate America is ....

1. Space - Everything these days is a "space"!! We work in the "IT space" or the "pharma space" or the "sanitation engineering space" ... whatever! Just say what you mean ... We're trashmen!!!

[Ed]

"At the end of the day..." (This one really needs to ride off into the sunset.)

"It is what it is" (Uhmmm, seems pretty self-evident to me... :shrug: )

"Unprecedented" - (a term used almost daily by a certain very high ranking government official who shall remain unnamed.)


There are literally tons of buzzwords that need to be voted off the island.

[vicster]

[QUOTE=Ed;2000616]"At the end of the day..." (This one really needs to ride off into the sunset.)

"It is what it is" (Uhmmm, seems pretty self-evident to me... :shrug: )

/QUOTE]

In addition to the above, the word "transparency" - I'm so sick of hearing that.

[retiredfigment]

teachable moment -

[Lizzy]

Going Forward- most overused phrase in corporate America!

Second would have to be: Throw it against the wall, see what sticks What?? :confused:

[vicster]

It seems like we've pretty much gotten rid of "think outside the box". Good riddance.

[NotaGeek]

"On a high level" ... which was SO overused at my last job ... and strangely as soon as "on a high level" was used to describe something in a meeting, it ended up being a 30 minute description fully in-depth.

[PirateLover]

I'm a teacher and in my district they push "Rigor and Relevance." So sick of those words.
I have to apologize though as I am very guilty of using "It is what it is," usually when the students complain about things.

[Ian]

"On a high level" ... which was SO overused at my last job ... and strangely as soon as "on a high level" was used to describe something in a meeting, it ended up being a 30 minute description fully in-depth.Oh, this reminds me of one that definitely should have made my list ... "topline" which seems to have replaced "on a high level" as the buzzword-du-jour.

Also popular these days is "a 30,000 foot view" which I hear all the time.

:ack:

[Jeff]

Literally I get real tired of hearing "literally".
Especially by newscasters. For example, "the car literally drove over the curb and through the store window......" Doesn't your video show that??? What's the purpose of "literally"?

But I guess, it literally is what it is!!;)

[Hammer]

My turn-

LOE (used in place of saying "level of effort")- Is it that hard to say "level of effort"?

Stare and Compare- people seem to love to use this term at my work for comparing file or log outputs. Drives me nuts and I refuse to use it.

[garymacd]

I, myself, personally would like to see less tautology in our everday lexicon; such as using "I, myself, personally."

Oh darn. I'm repeating myself!

[A Big Kid]

Sick, SICK, SICK of hearing, "that being said, with that being said, having said that," or any of its derivitives.

[Ian]

New one I forgot to include ... "deep dive" ... this one popped up from nowhere late last year and it's climbing my list of most irritating buzzwords very rapidly.

Also climbing my list is "optics" ... used in the context of "appearances." (i.e. "I'd love to have you attend the conference, but with the client's heavy focus on budget I'm concerned about optics in terms of your ability to contribute.").

Horrible. :ack::ack::ack:

[rubato]

Literally I get real tired of hearing "literally".
Especially by newscasters. For example, "the car literally drove over the curb and through the store window......" Doesn't your video show that??? What's the purpose of "literally"?

But I guess, it literally is what it is!!;)

Jeff, this is one of my least favorites as well. Especially when someone says literally when they actually mean figuratively!

But, the saying I would like to disappear the most "quote, unquote". How can you unquote something you've already quoted? It should be quote, followed by the quote, end quote. I hear so many intelligent people do this. And (not job related) please stop telling your dogs to LAY down. It's lie down. Thank you. :mickey:

[Kenny1113]

I agree with "at the end of the day " really overused and just plain annoying.

Another one is "stepped up". I think the final straw for me on this one was when I saw it used in a letter to parents from the principal at my son's school.

[garymacd]

New one I forgot to include ... "deep dive" ... this one popped up from nowhere late last year and it's climbing my list of most irritating buzzwords very rapidly.

Also climbing my list is "optics" ... used in the context of "appearances." (i.e. "I'd love to have you attend the conference, but with the client's heavy focus on budget I'm concerned about optics in terms of your ability to contribute.").

Horrible. :ack::ack::ack:

In anti-management-speak that sounds like <snip> Bingo, and you are the winner!

[QTPie68]

Oh man ... this is one of my biggest pet peeves. I just can't stand that corporate double-talk people use to make themselves sound smarter than they really are.

Here are my top five most hated buzzwords:

5. Synergy(ies)

DING DING DING.....that's my winner for most hated word...or in a phrase "Smell the synergy"..like, does it need deodorant :confused: Come on folks :mad:

[Ian]

DING DING DING.....that's my winner for most hated word...or in a phrase "Smell the synergy"..like, does it need deodorant :confused: Come on folks :mad:My biggest issue with it is that it gets used incorrectly virtually ever time someone says it.

A "synergy" is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome, yet I hear people use it all the time in the context of mergers and aquisitions ... as in "The real value here is the ability to drive out corporate synergies."

What they're trying to say is you can merge redundant operations, eliminate headcount, and reduce expenses, but there's really nothing synergistic about it because you end up eliminating half the equation. It's only a synergy if both parties still exist intact after the activity (and have benefitted from it equally) .

[Ed]

Literally I get real tired of hearing "literally".
Especially by newscasters. For example, "the car literally drove over the curb and through the store window......" Doesn't your video show that??? What's the purpose of "literally"?

But I guess, it literally is what it is!!;)

Actually, along those same lines, I'd actually like to see another word actually relegated to the junk pile, which actually is where it belongs, actually.

:mad:

[TinksDH]

Actually, along those same lines, I'd actually like to see another word actually relegated to the junk pile, which actually is where it belongs, actually.

:mad:

Ed, at the end of the day you're going to have to shift your paradigms on a high level and embrace this teachable moment that you are actually experiencing; otherwise the deep dive that this thread is going into will be underutilized and you won't be able to leverage all this new knowledge you've gained.

:thumbsup:

[badkitty]

Ed, at the end of the day you're going to have to shift your paradigms on a high level and embrace this teachable moment that you are actually experiencing; otherwise the deep dive that this thread is going into will be underutilized and you won't be able to leverage all this new knowledge you've gained.

:thumbsup:

LOL! This is perfect, and that's the "way we roll".

[Ian]

Actually, along those same lines, I'd actually like to see another word actually relegated to the junk pile, which actually is where it belongs, actually.

:mad:Or how about that oh-so-fun derivative ... "In actuality ... "?

[SteveL]

We avoid the "deep dive" by "picking the low-hanging fruit".

[QTPie68]

My biggest issue with it is that it gets used incorrectly virtually ever time someone says it.

A "synergy" is where different entities cooperate advantageously for a final outcome, yet I hear people use it all the time in the context of mergers and aquisitions ... as in "The real value here is the ability to drive out corporate synergies."

What they're trying to say is you can merge redundant operations, eliminate headcount, and reduce expenses, but there's really nothing synergistic about it because you end up eliminating half the equation. It's only a synergy if both parties still exist intact after the activity (and have benefitted from it equally) .

Yeah...what he said.....:scratch: ;)

[Lizzy]

"picking the low-hanging fruit".


Ugh I had a boss a few years back that used this phrase so much that I think he may have forgotten what it means.

[Hammer]

Not corporate double speak, but a buzzword I would love to see killed in 2010 is when people like to use is "regular people" or "regular folks". Example- "We don't go to King of Prussia. We are regular folks."

Really, Since when are the people who live in a certain area not "regular" folks? Please tell me who defined who qualifies as "regular" folks!

[Scar]

Please tell me who defined who qualifies as "regular" folks!I'm regular.

I take Metamucil everyday.

[Ian]

We avoid the "deep dive" by "picking the low-hanging fruit".LOL ... "low hanging fruit" is our Director of Technology's absolute most hated buzzword.


Not corporate double speak, but a buzzword I would love to see killed in 2010 is when people like to use is "regular people" or "regular folks". Example- "We don't go to King of Prussia. We are regular folks."

Really, Since when are the people who live in a certain area not "regular" folks? Please tell me who defined who qualifies as "regular" folks!Yeah that irks me, too. Another example of how class warfare is perfectly acceptable when directed upward. Nice double-standard there.

[TinksDH]

Yeah that irks me, too. Another example of how class warfare is perfectly acceptable when directed upward. Nice double-standard there.

That's 'cause those up the chain can "take it" as they have more money/cars/computers/iPhones/DVC points than us "regular folk"... ;)

[Stich8818]

" Can you [B]Reach Out [B] to your customer"

This one bugs me the most for some reason..up until a few months ago I was calling people now I am reaching out to them..what I am reaching out with..that ten foot pole everyone tells me not to touch with?

[Magic Smiles]

Second would have to be: [I]Throw it against the wall, see what sticks What?? :confused:
OMG I am definitely going to have to use that one. I have a coworker that will have a field day with it.:party:

[badkitty]

Here is another one that bugs me: "face time".

[garymacd]

Ed, at the end of the day you're going to have to shift your paradigms on a high level and embrace this teachable moment that you are actually experiencing; otherwise the deep dive that this thread is going into will be underutilized and you won't be able to leverage all this new knowledge you've gained.

:thumbsup:

BINGO!

[ElenitaB]

Can we please stop writing "verbiage"? Yikes, that irks me. Write text, write copy... Ironically, "verbiage" means "an overabundance of words; wordiness; verbosity" or "manner or style of expressing something in words."

[tinkerbelle75]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned the phrase
"Let me be clear.",or the dreaded "I want to be clear." I am SO sick of hearing those lines.....honorable mention goes to "at the end of the day":ack:

[DisneyDog]

Well, I like the phrase "keep moving forward" only because it reminds me of Meet the Robinsons and the quote from Walt Disney at the end of the movie. However, any other use of it annoys me.

And, as far as "regular people" going to King of Prussia...it depends on what side of what mall you are going to. The old side of the Plaza on a Friday or Saturday night...definitely not regular people. Scary people, maybe. The new side of the Plaza, not "regular" in that their wallets stretch much much further than mine (but that side of the mall is soooo much more relaxing.) The Court...well, maybe there's some regular people there. LOL.

[jillluvsdisney]

Dithering
Too big to fail
Teachable moment
Patriot
Hard working families
Take ownership of

[MegaDisney]

How about the word "Buzzword"???

[A Big Kid]

Not exactly a word, but annoying nonetheless.

When the person being interviewed asks himself a question and answers it. The annoyance goes up exponentially with each successive question they ask themselves.

Example: Am I embarassed by my actions? Of course. Will I do it again? No. Can I change what happened? No.

You get the idea.

[Mousefever]

There is a gossip columnist in our local paper who uses the word "nosh" excessively. Frankly, the word ruins my appetite. It's the sound someone would make when chewing with his mouth open. How about we just eat things and not nosh on them?

Amy

[Ian]

I hate the word nosh, too. It's actually really disgusting.

Another word creeping into vocabularly lately that really irks me is "ridonkulous."

I mean come on ... that's just stupid and innane. It doesn't even make any sense!

[DisneyDog]

Nosh is not disgusting. It is a Yiddish word used quite regularly in the Jewish community. It means to eat a snack.

[MNNHFLTX]

How about the word "Buzzword"???

Good one, Bryant. :thumbsup:

I have one more to add--"get with the program". That just sounds so patronizing.

[Tiggerlovr9000]

How about the word CHANGE??

[ElenitaB]

Today while heading to pick up my son from school, I heard a TD Bank radio spot that used 90% of the words we want to kill, in jest. Needless to say, I thought of this thread.