We’ve all heard them: the jargon words and phrases that are seemingly everywhere in the business world.
They can sound impressive, but often don’t really mean much. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the 5 most irritating jargon words in business and why they are so grating to hear.
Irritating Jargon Words in Business
From “low hanging fruit” to “circle back,” these words have become all too common in modern business speak.
Read on to learn more about why these buzzwords should be avoided in the workplace.
Touch base
Touch base is a phrase that is frequently used in the business world and it often means to make contact.
The phrase is often used when you want to check in with someone, especially after a period of time. For example, if you’re meeting up with a colleague for lunch, you might say “Let’s touch base at noon.”
The term can also be used in other ways. For example, if someone is going on vacation, they might say “Let’s touch base when I get back.” This simply means that they want to discuss something when they return.
Many people find this phrase irritating because it’s overused and it can sound like a vague promise.
If you use this phrase too often, it may come across as insincere or even disingenuous. Instead of using this phrase, try to be more specific about what you want to discuss and when.
Reach out
The phrase “reaching out” is another highly overused and annoying jargon word in business.
It usually implies that someone wants to get in touch with you and they don’t want to directly ask you to do so.
Instead of simply asking someone to contact you, they’ll say “I’m reaching out”.
This jargon can make people feel as if they are being pestered, or that the person isn’t taking the initiative to actually reach out to them.
In addition, when people say “reach out”, it often implies a one-sided exchange. It implies that the speaker wants something from the person they are trying to reach out to, but doesn’t necessarily offer anything in return.
Therefore, if you’re looking to have a conversation with someone, simply asking them to call or email is far less irritating than saying “I’m reaching out”.
Ping me
Ping me is a phrase that is often used in the business world as a request for someone to respond quickly to a message or request.
It can be seen as a way to demand an immediate response, which can be irritating and even unprofessional in certain contexts.
For example, if someone sends an email to another person asking for information, they may then follow up with “ping me when you have a chance.”
This could be interpreted as an expectation that the other person should drop everything they are doing and respond right away.
In addition, it implies that the other person has nothing else of importance to do, so they can focus on this one task.
It is important to remember that most people are not available 24/7, so it is wise to not use the phrase “ping me” unless you have established a working relationship and have agreed upon certain expectations.
If you need an immediate response from someone, it’s best to state your expectations clearly and politely in your initial message.
Doing so shows respect for the other person’s time and priorities, which is essential in any professional setting.
Take it to the next level
The phrase “take it to the next level” is used in many business conversations, but it is often vague and unhelpful.
It implies that progress or development can be achieved in a single leap, rather than through a gradual process of improvement.
Unfortunately, this sentiment is usually not backed up by any specific plan or actionable steps to actually make that jump to the “next level.”
In addition to its lack of clarity, this phrase can be seen as dismissive of the hard work required to get to the next stage of success.
It fails to recognize the effort and dedication necessary to reach the desired end goal, instead implying that advancement can be had without putting in the time and effort.
For these reasons, “take it to the next level” can often come across as an empty statement meant to sound impressive and motivate others, but with no real intention behind it.
Instead of using this vague phrase, it is much more productive to outline what specific steps are needed for progress and set realistic goals for achieving them.
This allows everyone involved to better understand what needs to be done and how to get there.
Circle back
The term “circle back” is one of the most annoying and overused jargon words in business.
The phrase is usually used to describe an agreement between two parties to return to a discussion or decision at a later date.
It implies that a particular task or goal isn’t resolved immediately but needs further examination.
Unfortunately, “circle back” has become the go to phrase for managers and executives when they want to leave a conversation without giving a clear answer or resolution.
It’s easy to say “let’s circle back” and put off actually making a decision for another day. This can lead to confusion among team members and a lack of motivation as no progress is being made.
Bottom Line
It’s important to be mindful of the words we use in the workplace and to avoid using jargon words like “circle back”.
Instead, try to be more precise when speaking with colleagues and provide a timeline of when a certain task should be completed.
This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and tasks can be completed in a timely manner.