the Internal Comms Hub

Join the Hub today!

  • Contact Us
  • Editorial Board
  • About
  • Join
  • Free Trial
  • Login
  • Home
  • Jobs
  • News
  • Network
  • AV Guides
  • Ask the Expert
  • Top Tips
  • How-to Guides
  • Case Studies
  • Toolkits
RSS feedHome / News archive / News story
Become a Member Today Start Your Free Trial

Advanced search

  • Start Free Trial
  • Become a Member
Topics
  • Setting Your Strategy and Plan
  • Channels and New Media
  • Measuring Your Impact
  • Professional Development
  • Change Communication
  • Manager and Leader Communication
Guest expert
Strategic Partners

PRIAICCO

PRCA

SOCAP

Marketwire

events

The Internal Communication Black Belt Program
Melcrum has now updated and expanded the Internal Communication Black Belt Program!

Social Media Workshop
24th June 2009, Hammersmith, London

Strategic Communication Management Summit Australia 2009
15-17 September 2009, Sydney

Strategic Communication Management Summit USA 2009
22-24 September 2009, Chicago

Strategic Communication Management Summit UK 2009
13-15 October 2009, London

More events

Poll of the week
Jobs of the week

Internal Communication Manager – VMA Group, London, UK

Account Supervisor Change and Internal Communication, Hill & Knowlton – Washington, US

Online Editor, Xpand – Sydney, Australia

More jobs!

Top 3 rated articles

Ten commandments for leaders in tough times

A definitive framework for internal communication

Hub member profile: Annabel Barbosa

Vendor Listing

Get help with your communication programs

29 January 2008

Concerned about “boss-spasming” at your organization?

Chances are you might be too busy “blamestorming” to notice it.

The Hub has a favorite new term: “boss-spasming”. It describes the moment when employees suddenly look busy at work as soon as their boss enters the room.

New jargon to communicate with
According to Office Angels, a new set of work-based phrases is setting offices chattering, and possibly baffling some communicators in the process.

I think someone needs a bite of the reality sandwich.

The UK-based recruitment consultancy asked users of social networking site Facebook to dish the dirt about current popular office jargon at their organizations.

Use jargon for bonding
In addition to "boss-spasming", another expression mentioned in the survey was “blamestorming”, a term that younger workers might not have heard before, which means to determine with colleagues why a deadline was missed and who was responsible.

Office Angels’ list of workplace jargon to listen out for includes:
• I’ve been spinning my wheels for some time, what I really need is some traction.
• I think someone needs a bite of the reality sandwich.
• The juice ain't worth the squeeze.
• Put it in the fridge to snack on later.
• We need to bottom this out.

David Clubb, managing director of Office Angels, said: "Jargon is an inevitable part of office life and whilst it can often be regarded as baffling and frustrating, there are advantages to speaking the office lingo. These can range from bonding with a team to understanding mind-boggling conference calls.”

Office jargon gone mad
The Guardian newspaper followed up the Office Angels story asking its blog readers for suggestions about office lingo that drives them wild with rage. Here’s a selection:

  • "There's a lot of impressive synergy in this room".
  • "I don't have the bandwith" (IT company).
  • "Architecting innovation" and "leveraging synergies".
  • "By close of play today" has now become an even more horrifying "by COPT" in e-mails.
  • "I'm going to meet and interface with" – meaning talk to someone.
  • "Going forward". Or what? Downward? Sideward?
  • I personally find the phrase "Human Resources" itself to be repellent, as it just conjures up images of spare parts and detritus.
  • "Bleeding edge" (state-of-the-art).
  • "Best of breed" (market leader).
  • "Cascade it out" (inform people).
  • "Blue Sky/Green Field" (unconstrained thinking).

Have your say
Reveal your company's excruciating terminology to your communication peers in the Internal Comms Hub members' group on the Communicators' Network.

Got a news story? Contact the newsdesk

News archive

 
Top of Page
Privacy Policy

© Melcrum Publishing 2009