DorobekInsider: What are the most annoying buzz words?
DorobekInsider: What are the most annoying buzz words? We all remember synergy — pulling desperate organizations together so that the sum was more then th...
DorobekInsider: What are the most annoying buzz words?
We all remember synergy — pulling desperate organizations together so that the sum was more then then added parts… and we all remember how well that worked.
What is the synergy of 2009? Accountemps conducted a survey of executives… and among the items on their list…
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.”
Accountemps 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
- Customer-centric
Some phrases cited in the most recent survey suggest executives are suffering from recession fatigue, including:
- Recession
- Depression
- Economy
- Do more with less
- Restructuring
- Downsizing
- Gloom and doom
- Pay freeze
- Bailout
- Overworked
So what are the government buzzwords out there these days — and I’d be the first to acknowledge that one of them is “government 2.0″ — or, to be honest, virtual anything 2.0.
But I’d love to hear your over-hyped buzz words.
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