I recently came across this article on Yahoo outlining "10 Things You Should Never Say at the Office." I'll admit that I expected to see a list of swear words, variations on the use of F-bombs and derogatory comments about bosses. While these were noticeably absent, the list did provide a nice snapshot of terms that business rookies may encounter in this wonderful world of new words designed to dress up old words to lessen the blow they are meant to deliver.
Ms. Harris' list is not exhaustive, though. Given this degree of disconnect, I'd like to leverage my meager experience on the cutting edge in order to reach out and socialize with you, dear reader, so that you may be armed with some game-changing, value-add anecdotes, in the event that this whole thing goes viral and you have to circle back to it is what it is.
Problem - Strike this from your vocabulary. It does not exist in its raw form. Please read on.
Opportunity - A small problem. Example: "The copier stopped printing this morning. What an excellent opportunity to check the paper tray."
Challenge - A big problem. Example: "The paper tray was full of paper. There must be a greater challenge causing the copier not to print. Perhaps the toner is low."
Stakeholder - Anyone who is in a position to complain about the work you do, and thus, can affect your performance review. Example: "Who are your stakeholders? This is important to know, as you ultimately are beholden to them."
Engage - Talk to someone; especially if it is someone with whom you have not spoken in a while and has lead to a challenging opportunity. Synonym: Reach out. Example: "You need to engage your stakeholders more. I am hearing things."
Tap that - No, this is not what you think it is. It implies the use of a resource or talent pool for your team's advantage. Synonyms: Tap into that; leverage. Examples: "Someone left a whole crate of copy paper in the hallway. We need to tap into that." Or: "Bill and Melinda Gates will be in the office giving away money? We need to tap that. This could be a game changer."
Reassess - Admit there is a problem without admitting there is a problem. Example: "The satisfaction survey results are in. This is an excellent opportunity to reassess the challenges we will face moving forward."
Lessons learned - What went wrong following an unexpected challenge. Example: "The lesson learned from the challenges we faced with the copier this morning is that we should always have a spare toner on hand should we be faced with another opportunity to make copier improvements."
Get on board - Convince someone that they should do something they really don't want to do. Example: "You should reach out to your colleagues and get them on board, so that when we are faced with this opportunity again, it will be easier to engage them in the copier-fixing process."
So, that's my two cents. While my list is not exhaustive, either, it is what it is.
And just keep in mind, dear reader, that moving forward, there will be no circling back.
Ms. Harris' list is not exhaustive, though. Given this degree of disconnect, I'd like to leverage my meager experience on the cutting edge in order to reach out and socialize with you, dear reader, so that you may be armed with some game-changing, value-add anecdotes, in the event that this whole thing goes viral and you have to circle back to it is what it is.
Problem - Strike this from your vocabulary. It does not exist in its raw form. Please read on.
Opportunity - A small problem. Example: "The copier stopped printing this morning. What an excellent opportunity to check the paper tray."
Challenge - A big problem. Example: "The paper tray was full of paper. There must be a greater challenge causing the copier not to print. Perhaps the toner is low."
Stakeholder - Anyone who is in a position to complain about the work you do, and thus, can affect your performance review. Example: "Who are your stakeholders? This is important to know, as you ultimately are beholden to them."
Engage - Talk to someone; especially if it is someone with whom you have not spoken in a while and has lead to a challenging opportunity. Synonym: Reach out. Example: "You need to engage your stakeholders more. I am hearing things."
Tap that - No, this is not what you think it is. It implies the use of a resource or talent pool for your team's advantage. Synonyms: Tap into that; leverage. Examples: "Someone left a whole crate of copy paper in the hallway. We need to tap into that." Or: "Bill and Melinda Gates will be in the office giving away money? We need to tap that. This could be a game changer."
Reassess - Admit there is a problem without admitting there is a problem. Example: "The satisfaction survey results are in. This is an excellent opportunity to reassess the challenges we will face moving forward."
Lessons learned - What went wrong following an unexpected challenge. Example: "The lesson learned from the challenges we faced with the copier this morning is that we should always have a spare toner on hand should we be faced with another opportunity to make copier improvements."
Get on board - Convince someone that they should do something they really don't want to do. Example: "You should reach out to your colleagues and get them on board, so that when we are faced with this opportunity again, it will be easier to engage them in the copier-fixing process."
So, that's my two cents. While my list is not exhaustive, either, it is what it is.
And just keep in mind, dear reader, that moving forward, there will be no circling back.