We live in a world of clichés. Our businesses are surrounded by them. An article in “Fast Company” posted on Parknews.biz lists five that we use every day, and most likely use them to cover for the boss. Consider.
- “Let’s circle back on this” – Its indecisive. It means you don’t know what to do so let’s do nothing.
- “We need to manage expectations” – Right – we are failing and this is a gutless way to say it. Be honest.
- “Let’s think outside the box” – This one is ok but needs guidance. What is the ‘box’ and what lies ‘outside.’
- “Let’s blue-sky it” – This is unclear. There is no box, no real scope of the discussion. The result will be vague and a lot of wasted time.
- “That’s not on our radar screen” – This suggests that the boss is ducking the question rather than responding to it. If it’s a good idea, then put it on the agenda or explain clearly why its not a good idea.
We use clichés freely and frankly we should consider the definition of the word: “a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.”
JVH
