Blog
Debra Wheatman, President of Careers Done Write, provides expert insight to the job search process that puts your career in gear with tips for interviewing, networking, job search strategies and how to create a winning resume and cover letter.
Chasing the White Whale: How Corporate Jargon and the Myth of Perfection Stifle Innovation
The corporate landscape is often described as a “fast-paced, agile environment,” yet anyone who has sat through a 90-minute steering committee meeting knows the reality is frequently the opposite. While technological aspects of business may have accelerated, a secondary, self-imposed weight has begun to grind the gears of industry: corporate jargon. Far from being a harmless linguistic quirk, the proliferation of buzzwords such as synergy, digital ecosystem, and disruptive alignment acts as a cognitive tax. Recent research and organizational observations suggest that excessive jargon is not just a nuisance; it is a primary driver of sluggish decision-making and can serve as a convenient mask for incompetence….
Your Job Description to Plain English Pocket Translation Guide
We put people first. We are a profit-first organization.
Is the scope of this project reasonable? How much money are we going to make on this?
We need motivated team players. We provide no training or guidance so you’ll need to ask your colleagues how to get things done.
The ideal candidate is a skilled multi-tasker. We expect this person to do anything and everything….
Translating jargon into plain English
As linguists know, language is, by its nature, constantly evolving. Language is also supposed to be communicative and cohesive. However, we all know that corporate lingo is an entity unto itself and that quite often, this particular lexicon does little to provide clarity, direction, or, quite frankly, sense. That is why I am providing my readers with this condensed translation guide, organized by corporate context….