Monday, July 28, 2014

Drill down on your vocab and then circle back (The words you use matter - part 2)


If you find it hard to have a work conversation without using any of these words or phrases, you've worked at Microsoft. I asked my Facebook friends, many of whom are alumni or currently employed by Microsoft, to share the grating phrases that are rendered borderline-meaningless due to over-use. Now that I'm looking at this, I'm wondering how "low hanging fruit" didn't make it's way in. An oldie but goodie.

I have to admit that some of these phrases still make their way into my vocabulary, even 3 years after I left. In my defense, I am one of those people that starts picking up the local accent immediately upon landing in a new state or country. And I have woken up the last several days with this ear worm:



I guess I'm just a highly suggestible person. If you are too, be careful because you might go into an interview and explain how you deep dived and operationalized. You know, like in a really planful way.

My point is, it's good to check yourself so you don't go overboard with this Micro-speak business. And in all fairness to Microsoft, a lot of this stuff is perpetuated by other companies too. But at Microsoft, it's practically an art form.

The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem.

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