Say what you mean. Stop using jargon and clichés.
August 15, 2007
I enjoyed this post from Seth Godin today on overly used business clichés.
I have to admit, I do enjoy crafting a long, meaningful sentence on the synergistic implications of maximizing profitability through implementing measurable objectives that positively impact the bottom line through boosting gross margin dollars by employing best practices to ensure top-notch customer service-oriented deliverables. Who doesn’t? Just for kicks.
But I got to looking at his list, and I have to say, in a lot of my business writing, I see these phrases creep in a lot. Here are some of my all-time faves that I must admit to employing regularly, mostly at work, but sometimes on this blog:
- Improving ROI
- Increasing the bottom line
- Impacting (anything)
- Enhancing productivity
- Fostering retention
Ick. Just reading that list makes me want to avert my eyes from the screen. What do these even mean, anyway? Let’s see if I can interpret myself and offer a clear, direct phrasing of these ideas. Here goes:
- Making something worth the money you spend.
- Essentially the same as above. Or, making sure more money stays in your pocket and isn’t spent where it’s not needed. However, this phrase, in isolation, has the added benefit of sounding like getting a bigger derriere.
- Typically: benefiting, improving, growing.
- Helping people do more valuable work with the time they have.
- Doing things to make sure your workers stay working at your company.
Whew. That was less painful than I thought. I feel clearer already.
So, if you’re up for it, here’s a little writer/blogger challenge for you. Select your most-commonly used jargon or clichés, interpret them to yourself or your readers, and then stop using them! Then, leave me a comment or link to this post so I can find your jargon and read your interpretations for myself.
Let’s make the world an easier place to understand, a little bit at a time.
Freedom from Fear of Blogging Day
July 3, 2007
Today, July 2, is Freedom from Fear of Speaking Day – maybe not the most widely recognized holiday, but it seems like a great idea to me. I’ve been thinking and blogging lately about the issues of transparency, personal branding and blogging for professional advancement, so it comes at a perfect time for me.
A recent post by Penelope Trunk on web designer Cory Miller added a new thought into the mix. In and of itself, I believe it’s a huge question for most bloggers whether to present all of yourself or just your ideas when you blog.
But Penelope’s post brought the questions to a deeper level for me. It was not simply about Cory the amazing web designer. She went on to discuss her interaction with him as a Christian and how him living that aspect of his life out made her reflect on her personal religious views and life. A commenter noted that this conversation and post truly did illustrate “intersection of work and life” – the focus of her blog. Reading this exchange made me stop to consider some of the questions I’ve been mulling recently in a new light. You see, I am a Christian too.
In the process of developing this blog, I have been passionate about sharing my ideas and insights and exploring new relationships and conversations. I look at how many prominent bloggers have become successful and realize that it is about more than simply great ideas.
Relationships are at the heart of the matter in blogging, too. You truly can’t get anywhere just by writing good content and having good ideas. You have to build good relationships – not just through links and networks, but also personally, with the people behind the blogs, as I’ve learned this week as I’ve been e-mailing back and forth with some other exciting bloggers. Their ideas, insights, and the offered opportunities have pushed me and my ideas further and in a shorter time than I ever thought possible. The idea that some of these people whose ideas I’ve been reading and admiring from afar for months now would take the time to talk to me or build a relationship with me is so incredible. Relationships. Well, that’s what it’s all really about, isn’t it – work, life, and everything in between. So I decided, why not at least let the people I’m building a relationship know a little more about me and what makes me tick?
Imagine my surprise when I read a little more about Cory and realized we live in the same town and have many common contacts in our network. You see, it really is all about relationships, and apparently, sometimes in the virtual world, those relationships tie directly back into real life. And since ultimately, as a Christian, I am all about the relationship with my Savior, I’d like anyone who reads this blog to know that. So I’m putting it out there, and letting go of my fears – of blogging with full transparency and of being so personal in such a vulnerable medium. It turns out, as a blogger, openness may be more beneficial to embrace than to fear.
Change your life – have dinner with the kids.
June 12, 2007
This guy seems to have it right. Not only did Cameron Stracher change his family life by deciding to trade some time at work for the chance to have dinner with his family every night for one school year, he may well have changed his career prospects as well. Blogging and writing a book about his journey to family time, this guy has the right idea of how to use social media to really potentially improve his life. And he even made USA Today.
Where will he take this? Who knows. But do we all have the potential to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary? We might, if we just go for it.
