Business Buzz Words (Buzzwords) are those words or phrases which sound important and are used mainly to impress a layperson. Almost all business owners might have made use of such impression creating latest business buzz words at some or the other time during their business tenure. However, the biggest tragedy associated with the usage of business buzzwords is that these reflected an important meaning when they were still fresh and newly discovered.
When freshly coined phrases like “total quality management” and “cutting edge” were used for the first time, they imparted a fresh perspective to the business language and pointed towards new paradigms.
However, as time passed by, the over usage and ruthless exploitation of these business buzz words made them unanchored and took them far away from their original meanings. According to some of the experts, when business buzz words get converted into clichés, they tend to lose all their legitimacy and power.
Sometimes, this over-exploitation of business language is also compared to a flawed monetary policy wherein good money is driven out by bad money. In a certain respect, business buzz words are considered as the highly tempting and non-nutritious food of the language. You will feel yourself getting attracted to them despite knowing the fact they have very low nutritional value.
Majority of the corporate spectrum users find these business buzz words irresistible. However, it has been discovered that this heavy usage comes partly from the entire idea of being an important part of the elite fraternity.
Hence, it is worth understanding that any language and its usage tends to evolve and change with progressing time. But still, it is quite typical of the top management to make use of the current business buzzwords as they feel that it is a more creative manner in which they can share important information and put their point across.
But we all know that the most common reaction after hearing too many old and latest business buzz words is nothing more than eye rolling. Some of the popular buzz words like “thinking out of the box” have an effect which is completely opposite to their own meaning.
Thinking out of the box means being innovative but the very use of this over-exploited buzz word makes the speaker look like a prisoner who is trapped inside the box of hyped business lingo.
It is true that when you might have heard this phrase for the first time it certainly may have created an impression on you but hearing it again and again will not do the trick.
Thus, to sum it up, it is necessary to avoid the over usage of business buzz words, especially those which have been famously doing the rounds of many conference rooms, over the years.
In fact, some of the experts suggest that it is safer to stay clear of buzz words unless and until it is something that you have created on your own and which has never been heard earlier.
So, next time you see a lot of nodding heads within your team, take it as a sure shot giveaway that you are sounding as lame as the buzz words you are using.