I use my fair share of acronyms. ABC. ADE. VUCA. RLRJ. FF/LF/FF*. They are a useful shorthand device, but overdoing acronyms with a generalist audience is a great way to lose them. Talking to a bunch of specialists with their own acronyms is AOK.

Acronyms are good up to a point, jargon less so. Jargon often twists the truth and tends to infect and bloat large business organisations. Before you know it, everyone is jumping through hoops, changing the paradigm, synergising, ideating, and circling back. Stuff is being done, but nothing happens. Next thing, corporate claptrap or ‘management speak’ skews or snows the truth to surreptitiously drive an agenda through at the expense of others.

A long time in business does tend to hone your bullshit detector. Don’t hesitate to call out claptrap in a positive way. The classic everyday waffle comes when someone walks up and says “the reality is”. At this point you can be certain you are not going to hear the reality. You are going to hear their reality, which is light years from the reality. Another good one is “to be honest.’ The outtake is they have been lying to you up until now, or what you are about to hear will really upset you. As Oscar Wilde said, “the pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

Most of us stray into the land of porkies and whoppers from time to time – something that starts naturally as kids seeking treats. In business, internally and externally, stay away from gobbledygook. Don’t join in the jargon because today’s always-on audience turns off automatically, and rightly so. Marketers and management consultants are on notice to play their agendas with a straight bat. Mumbo jumbo is easily spotted, easier to share, and most unwelcome. Authenticity is the standard.

*ABC= Ambition Belief Courage
ADE = Assess Decide Execute
VUCA = Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous
RLRJ = Responsibility, Learning, Recognition, Joy
FF/LF/FF – Fail Fast / Learn Fast / Fix Fast