Words Against Knowledge (WAK Words)

Substitutions for actual considered and articulated ideas.

“Driving results.”  The use of the words drive, driving and driver should be restricted to operation of a motor vehicle, horse and buggy or a big golf club, but they’ve become favorites for sales managers for use in job postings.  When used in this way, the word has the same meaning as that in the compound word slavedriver. “Driving sales, driving performance, driving production, driving growth…” Do they have any other words available to them?

“That’s wrong on so many levels.”  The next time you hear this WAK phrase, politely ask the speaker to identify just one level. If s/he can, ask if s/he can name another.  In most cases, the spouter of this throw-away can’t articulate even the first.

 

“LOL, OMG…”  These shortcuts and others like them, invented by adolescents for texting convenience, have been widely adopted by otherwise intelligent adults and applied in unnecessary response to someone who had nothing much to say but texted or posted it on Facebook anyway.

 “Forging relationships.”  Another favorite of the sales management crowd.  Forging is something done with a big hammer, an anvil and a red-hot iron rod, none of which should ever be used when attempting to develop either business or interpersonal relationships.

“Experience.”  This is a word businesses use when they have nothing else to say.  “You’ll want to buy from us because we’re experienced.”  This may be a good reason for a high school nerd to accept an offer of a date with a very cute cheerleader, but in the business world, it rings pretty hollow.  Don’t we all have experience?  Give me another reason!

“It’s durable.”  Yet another favorite of salespeople selling furniture, vacuum cleaners, cars, tools, you name it.  Ask what durable means in the current context and you’ll either hear that same word repeated or you’ll hear something that might better have been offered the first time.

“Leverage.”  What in the name of heaven does this mean the way we usually hear it these days?  And how did this noun become a verb?  “The company is completely leveraged…”  Why don’t you just say, “We’re up to our ears in debt?”

“You have my thoughts and prayers.”  Oh, really?  When I hear this, I suspect in most cases that you’ll forget me as soon as I’m out of sight.  Do you actually pray?  I know there are people who have thoughts and many who pray, and some of their thoughts and prayers are effectual and fervent.  But you might take your deep concern one more step and give me a hand up when I’m down.