Do your spokespeople use this annoying jargon?

It has been a little while since we shone the light on some of the jargon that damages media interviews.

But a new report has revealed ‘the most confusing workplace jargon’.

And it got us thinking that we also see some of these words and phrases used by spokespeople.

The report, produced by Duolingo and LinkedIn, surveyed more than 8,000 working professionals across eight countries.

Any guesses about what topped the list in the UK?

Well, it was ‘blue sky thinking’, followed by ‘COP/EOP/EOD’, ‘low-hanging fruit’, ‘move the needle’, and ‘ducks in a row’.

The report also identified the most-used jargon as ‘moving forwards’, ‘touch base’, ‘noted’, ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ and ‘blank canvas’.

We’ve covered some of these before in our media training blogs, such as ‘moving forwards’. And some, like ‘noted’ have little media training relevance.

But ‘COP/EOP/EOD’ (presumably short for close of play, end of play and end of day) is a timely reminder that abbreviations and acronyms used internally can confuse wider audiences.

‘Move the needle’ and ‘blank canvas’ are phrases that seem to be appearing more often in media interviews.

Interestingly, ‘boiling the ocean’ was identified as the most confusing jargon in Australia and the US, so it is surely only a matter of time before that particular horror becomes more prevalent on these shores.

But perhaps the most insightful thing about the report from a media training perspective was how much confusion jargon causes, rather than the words and phrases identified.

More than half of workers across the world (57 per cent) say misunderstanding caused by jargon wastes time every month, and around a third say it causes confusion every week.

And 49 per cent reported someone using jargon in a work meeting makes them feel like their colleagues are speaking a language they don’t understand.

If it is causing this level of confusion in the workplace, imagine the misunderstanding among a wider audience.

In media interviews, clarity is crucial. If people don’t understand what a spokesperson is saying, they will zone out or switch off. And the opportunity a media interview presents is lost.

So, what should you say instead?

Here are our simple alternatives to the jargon identified in this report:

• Blue sky thinking – think differently or creatively.
• COP/EOP/EOD – avoid acronyms or abbreviations in media interviews.
• Low-hanging fruit – quick and easy.
• Move the needle – make a noticeable change or create a reaction.
• Ducks in a row – well prepared or organised.
• Moving forwards – in the future or looking ahead.
• Touch base – discuss or meet.
• Singing from the same hymn sheet – work effectively together or share the same understanding.
• Blank canvas – endless possibilities.
• Boil the ocean (In case it makes its way to the UK) – an impossible task.

And here are some alternatives to some other jargon we often hear in media interviews:

• Headwinds and tailwinds – there seems to be a lot more wind in media interviews these days. Whether it is headwinds – external challenges – or tailwinds - positive factors, there are straight-talking alternatives.
• Bandwidth – no longer restricted to broadband, ‘bandwidth’ has become an ambiguous way of saying why something can’t happen, for example, “We don’t have the bandwidth for that right now”. Rather than glossing over why it can’t be done, explain the reasons.
• Mission critical – an exaggerated way of saying something is crucial or vital.
• Drill down – what is wrong with ‘focus on’ or ‘thoroughly investigate’?
• Game changer – on the face of it, there’s not too much wrong with this phrase. But everyone uses it, regardless of the limited significance or impact of the change.
• Holistic -this one tends to come up a lot in the interviews I carry out during our media training ‘Comprehensive’ or ‘complete’ are much more straightforward terms.
• Deploy – this is fine in a military context when talking about deploying troops. But it is often used, especially in the tech world, when ‘build’, ‘create’ or ‘put in place’ would be more meaningful.

But jargon isn’t the only language issue spokespeople should avoid.

The Guardian recently highlighted the issue of what it calls ‘corpspeak’.

It is the art of saying “as little in as many words as possible”.

Or being deliberately vague to cover up a lack of detail.

In the article, Nesrine Malik highlights Rishi Sunak’s excessive use of “deliver”. For example, “My focus in this job is to deliver for the country.”

‘Deliver’, somewhat embarrassingly, is on the Gov.uk list of words to avoid, where it says, “pizzas, post and services are delivered - not abstract concepts like improvements”.

If only someone had told the Prime Minister.

But he is not alone. The article also highlights Keir Starmer’s use of phrases like “laser focus” and “mission-driven”, which could sit in the earlier lists.

Ms Malik says that variations of “look, let me be clear” or “look, I’ve been clear on this” are used in media interviews to then “steer things back to the non-answers already given.”

But it doesn’t need to be like this.

During our media training courses, we stress the importance of spokespeople sticking to simple language.

Use the same language you would if you were talking to a friend or family member, who doesn’t work in your industry, in a pub or café, and you will stay clear of jargon and corpspeak.

Another great way of avoiding the likes of “move the needle”, “holistic” and “mission driven”, is to focus on humanising your story.

People – your audience – are fascinated by stories about other people. And human stories typically use simple, emotive language.

Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers. 

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