Most people make the same communication mistake at work, says author and public speaking consultant Bill McGowan: They lean too much into corporate jargon, using “bland, boring” words and phrases in an attempt to seem smart and memorable.
Saying you want to “socialize an idea with your colleagues to strengthen cross-functional collaboration,” instead of just saying you want to work together to solve a problem, confuses people and sounds really inauthentic, says McGowan, who’s coached a variety of celebrities, CEOs and politicians including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Kim Kardashian.
“Typically, people who are jargony and speak in a very corporate way, because that’s what they have learned through osmosis, aren’t going to connect with [others],” says McGowan, author of the book “Speak, Memorably: The Art of Captivating an Audience.”
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The same goes for when you’re giving a speech or presentation: Big words and corporate phrases don’t enhance what you’re saying, McGowan says. They actually make it more difficult for your audience to follow along, he adds.
