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The ever-present, over-abundant buzzword: you’ll find them lurking in
every corner of endeavor, from business to technology to sports and academia. Buzzwords don’t start out their lifespan being bad. They
often begin as an elegant tool for explaining what we do. They promote, they
encapsulate, they make our work sound smart and snappy.
As that language evolves, however, its catchy lingo spreads to every
corner of an industry, and pretty soon everyone is using it. The buzzword
balance begins to tip as lingo starts to become a repetitive, frozen, unwieldy
generalization. Eventually, it loses all spontaneity to become a cliché.
You’ve officially entered buzzword territory.
The bad news about buzzwords is they lose their ability to capture
concepts in a unique way. They become barriers to straightforward speaking. As
clichés, they cause us to lose credibility and make our reader suspicious.
Don’t let buzzwords block delivery of a message that works. As you
consider your own messaging, carefully examine and consider your vocabulary. Part
of what makes your message readable is its simplicity and straightforwardness. Always
choose simple-speak over industry slang. When you weed out overused clichés, your
more direct message becomes grounded, sincere and refreshing.
Are you a victim of
buzzwords? Gauge your slang against the buzzword list in this article. Or if you really want some fun, look up one of the numerous
‘buzzword generators’ online.
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