Overuse of these phrases has diluted their meaning and can harm a company's output (Representational) Do you tell your employees to "give it 110 percent" Please ..
don't.That phrase, according to a survey by OnePoll of 2,000 American workers on behalf of communications technology provider Jive Communications, topped a list of 40 of the most cringe-worthy phrases said in the workplace.
So if you're thinking of using that phrase to motivate, please think twice.While you're at it, don't exhort your employees to "think outside the box," "hammer it out" or do some "heavy lifting." That's going to annoy them, too.
If you want to really get under their skin then go ahead and tell them to "push the envelope," or promise to "circle back" or create a "win-win situation."We've all been guilty of using these phrases, whether out of habit or not," John Pope, the senior vice president of Jive Communications, said in a Fox News article.
"These phrases definitely aren't going anywhere anytime soon."Pope, who confirmed the survey's data, said he believes that the overuse of these phrases has diluted their meaning.
"Our goal should be to use such jargon sparingly, and when the moment calls for it," he said.Although we've all been there, the fact is that using these phrases with employees can harm a company's productivity.
According to the survey, 27 percent of American workers acknowledged tuning out people who use this kind of jargon, even though almost 72 percent admitted to habitually using these phrases.So, are you at fault Tsk, tsk.
Just to be sure, here's the list, in order of cringe-worthiness:Give 110 percentThink outside the boxHammer it outHeavy liftingThrow them under the busDon't count your chickens before they've hatchedPushing the envelopeLet the cat out of the bagLet's circle backWin-win situationBlue-sky thinkingBoil the oceanSynergyLow-hanging fruitTake it to the next levelBarking up the wrong treeGoing forwardLet's ballpark thisRun this up the flagpoleBack to square oneThere's no I in teamBack to the drawing boardParadigm shiftElephant in the roomRaise the barDrill downBest thing since sliced breadDeep diveSkin in the gameReach outTouch basePlay hardballDon't reinvent the wheelKept in the loopThe bottom lineDown the roadI'll loop you inHit the nail on the headASAPTeam player(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)