We love to slam bad business writing.
Admit it. We all use business jargon – even the pro writers.
Don’t think so? Look at some of the jargon that made the Forbes list.
- Buy-in
- Empower
- Best practice
- Solution
- Lots of moving parts
I feel somewhat vindicated that there were a few I didn’t know~
Open the kimono
I cannot imagine using that one – even if I knew what it meant.
A Shaky Drive
While some view these articles as an attack on business writing, I welcome them.
- We all need an occasional shake-up
- We want proof that we haven’t run out of ideas
I was going to give a shout-out to the LinkedIn writers group who had a lively discussion over the Forbes article – but, I thought using shout-out would only prove the author’s point.
The discussion came on the heels of a blog post I read about the use of the word drive.
Business writer trainer, Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, posted Drive, They Said–But What Did They Mean?
The post shared examples of messages using the word drive.
- Drive business decisions
- Drive strategies
- Drive sales
Lynn recommended a “no-driving” day for business writers. Love that.
What is a business writer to do?
- Don’t hide behind the I’m not a writer excuse
- If you write for your business – you’re a writer
Forget Business as Usual
We look for ways to automate our business lives.
- Network feeds automatically post to social media platforms
- Mobile calendars remind us of appointments
- Online applications track our time
It’s easy to automate our business writing.
- We use the same product or service descriptions
- The same phrases populate our marketing
- Business jargon becomes our own
Just like you need time away from work, your writing needs time away from the routine.
- Revitalize your product or service descriptions
- Hunt down those repeat phrases
- Create writing that is uniquely yours
Forget business as usual and create something new.
Be Yourself
While your style may adjust for different readers, the heart of your writing is still you.
- Make your own rules
- Change them once in a while
- Even if someone else calls it jargon
Remember ~
“Always be yourself. Unless you suck.”
Joss Whedon, American screenwriter
Making sure you were paying attention.
What’s your take on business jargon?
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Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it… most of the time I ignore it… and once in a while it serves a useful purpose.
It really depends on the context. I occasionally use some of those terms, but I definitely agree that they are often overused and misused.
Hi Anne: I guess that would be pretty much in line with my view of jargon. But, like I told trainer, Lynn, on her blog, I like that it wakes me up to patterns I fall into.
Hi John: The problem with coming up with something clever is sooner or later you are going to see it everywhere. 🙂 I’m with you, used appropriately, words are words, and it’s all in the delivery.
The problem with employing jargon (besides being a sign of indolence) is that either it is employed to exclude folks (medical professionals exclude the public, others to keep out those who may encroach their business) or to make believe one is communicating a concept (when it often is associated with different meanings with different folks- like our politicians using buzzwords and then claiming- no, they are not prejudiced or wanted to appeal only to the rich/wealthy/1%/job-creators. [Even though the WEALTHY, the Rich, the 1% are generally NOT job creators, that is the new buzzword employed for the same group with these titles. To fool the rest of the world- NOT!]
Hi Roy: That is another side of industry-specific jargon. Acronyms are a particular pet peeve of mine. Not the existence of them, but the fact that the user rarely explains them.
Thanks for sharing a different spin on this.
Jargon is supposed to be used by insiders to maybe ferret out those who aren’t “in the know.” But companies since the Dot Com days have used it with annoying frequency with their customers. They don’t see how confusing us with their brilliance might actually cost them sales.
Hi Lori: I would agree, that certainly fits the bill for annoying, 🙂 Reminds me of corporate days where coworkers would not share information, thinking that made them more valuable. Hello?? If you want to stay in the same job for 30 years, be my guest.
I like a little bit of modern language. I don’t want people thinking I am an old codger (even if that’s true). Is codger ancient jargon? Some things become such a part of language that others don’t realize that they are using jargon. Or like us old hippies, we might say “right on” to your post without realizing that makes us sound like old hippies. I love language, old and new ways of saying things are OK (which is another piece of old jargon). Thanks for getting me on a roll, Cathy. <3
Roll away, Ann. 🙂 Like I said, if it’s you, hey, who are we to criticize?
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your view. Right on, Girlfriend! 😀
Never really thought about it until I read your post today Cathy. And the more I think it over, it really can pose some confusion for some or possibly be a boring read because it is the ‘same ole jargon’!
Jargon is something I guess I have gotten use to on the internet. But it is something to consider when addressing your audience. If there is a term, it is best to be informative so as to not exclude those that may not know what you might be talking about.
You brought to a light an interesting topic, thank you!
Hi Lynn: Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I sure wouldn’t lose sleep over it. 🙂 We do get used to it, but as a writer, I think I need a kick in the pants sometimes to come up with something fresh.
One thing for sure, you’ll never please everyone. 🙂 Thanks again, Lynn, for taking the time.