From āblue-sky thinkingā to ālots of moving partsā, there are many phrases used in the office that sometimes seem to make little sense in a work environment. These phrases are known as āwork jargonā ā or you might hear it referred to as ācorporate jargonā, ābusiness jargonā or āmanagement speakā. Itās a type of language generally used by a profession or group in the workplace, and has been created and evolved over time. And whether people use this work jargon to sound impressive or to disguise the fact that they are unsure about the subject they are talking about, itās much simpler and clearer to use plain English. This will mean that more people understand what they are saying āĢżboth fluent and second-language English speakers.
The preference forāÆplain EnglishāÆstems from the desire for communication to be clear and concise. This not only helps fluent English speakers to understand things better, but it also means that those learning English pick up a clearer vocabulary. This is particularlyāÆimportant in business, where itās important that all colleagues feel included as part of the team and can understand what is being said. This, in turn, helps every colleague feel equipped with the information they need to do their jobs better, in the language they choose to use.
Here, we explore some of the most common examples of English jargon at work that you might hear and suggest alternatives you can useā¦
Blue-sky thinking
This refers to ideas that are not limited by current thinking or beliefs. Itās used to encourage people to be more creative with their thinking. The phrase could be confusing as co-workers may wonder why youāre discussing the sky in a business environment.
Instead of:āÆāThis is a new client, so we want to see some blue-sky thinking.ā
Try saying:āÆāThis is a new client, so donāt limit your creativity.ā
Helicopter view
This phrase is often used to mean a broad overview of the business. It comes from the idea of being a passenger in a helicopter and being able to see a bigger view of a city or landscape than if you were simply viewing it from the ground.ĢżSecond-language English speakers might take the phrase literally, and be puzzled as to why someone in the office is talking about taking a helicopter ride.
Instead of:āÆāHereās a helicopter view of the business.ā
Try saying:āÆāThis is a broad view of the business.ā
Get all your ducks in a row
This is nothing to do with actual ducks; it simply means to be organized. While we donāt exactly know the origin of this phrase, it probably stems from actual ducklings that walk in a neat row behind their parents.
Instead of:āÆāThis is a busy time for the company, so make sure you get all your ducks in a row.ā
Try saying:āÆāThis is a busy time for the company, so make sure youāre as organized as possible.ā
Thinking outside the box
Often used to encourage people to use novel or creative thinking. The phrase is commonly used when solving problems or thinking of a new concept. The idea is that, if youāre inside a box, you can only see those walls and that might block you from coming up with the best solution.
Instead of:āÆāThe client is looking for something extra special, so try thinking outside the box.ā
Try saying:āÆāThe client is looking for something extra special, so try thinking of something a bit different to the usual work we do for them.ā
IGUs (Income Generating Units)
A college principal alerted us to this one ā it refers to his students. This is a classic example of jargon when many more words are used than necessary.
Instead of:āÆāThis year, we have 300 new IGUs.ā
Try saying:āÆāThis year, we have 300 new students.ā
Run it up the flagpole
Often followed by āā¦and see if it fliesā or āā¦and see if anyone salutes itā, this phrase is a way of asking someone to suggest an idea and see what the reaction is.
Instead of:āÆāI love your idea, run it up the flagpole and see if it flies.ā
Try saying:āÆāI love your idea, see what the others think about it.ā
Swim lane
A visual element ā a bit like a flow chart āāÆ that distinguishes a specific responsibility in a business organization. The name for aāÆswim laneāÆdiagram comes from the fact that the information is broken up into different sections ā or ālanesā ā a bit like in our picture above.
Instead of:āÆāRefer to the swim lanes to find out what your responsibilities are.ā
Try saying:āÆāRefer to the diagram/chart to find out what your responsibilities are.ā
Bleeding edge
A way to describe something that is innovative or cutting edge. It tends to imply an even greater advancement of technology that is almost so clever that it is unbelievable in its current state.
Instead of:āÆāThe new technology we have purchased is bleeding edge.ā
Try saying:āÆāThe new technology we have purchased is innovative.ā
Tiger team
A tiger team is a group of experts brought together for a single project or event. Theyāre often assembled to assure management that everything is under control, and the term suggests strength.
Instead of:āÆāThe tiger team will solve the problem.āāÆ
Try saying:āÆāThe experts will solve the problem.āāÆ
Lots of moving parts
When a project is complicated, this phrase is sometimes used to indicate lots is going on.
Instead of:āÆāThis project will run for several months and there are lots of moving parts to it.ā
Try saying:āÆāThis project will run for several months and it will be complicated.ā
A paradigm shift
Technically, this is a valid way to describe changing how you do something and the model you use. The word āparadigmā (pronounced āpara-dimeā) is an accepted way or pattern of doing something. So the āshiftā part means that a possible new way has been discovered. Second-language English speakers however, might not be familiar with the meaning and might be confused about what it actually means.
Instead of:āÆāTo solve this problem, we need a paradigm shift.ā
Try saying:āÆTo solve this problem; we need to think differently.ā
