by Lisa Lee, Esq.
KML Law Group, P.C.
USFN Member (NJ, PA)



Do meetings that you lead ever look like this? Maybe they do, but you just don’t realize it? Could it be that the people on the other end of calls that you run look like the ones seated at this table? No one wants that! Here’s a way to avoid it: Resolve to speak with substance.

One common complaint about lawyers is that they use a lot of words to say essentially nothing. A lot of other types of business leaders are accused of the same thing. A big part of this phenomenon is the use of “Corporate Speak.”

When I think of “corporate speak,” I think of any phrase or saying that sounds super fancy, but actually means nothing. In fact, it’s almost always worse than that. Often these bits of jargon beg another question.  And, if that question is not one that you provide a meaningful answer to right away, it leaves the listener very annoyed when they realize that you have attempted to dazzle them with completely empty words. 

Consider how you would feel after reading this description of a law firm in our space:

“Our firm leverages vertically integrated synergies to affect a paradigm shift and to move the needle in a way that is scalable and utilizes every best practice known to the industry. Let us do your heavy lifting using our robust, game changing core competencies. If you want to raise the bar, the bottom line is you should hire us – we will give you 110 percent!”

Okay, that is an exaggeration and is NOT a real example of a description of a firm in our space.  But sometimes a sales pitch comes off this way. It doesn’t say anything of substance.  As a matter of fact, it ends with a lie. No one can give 110% ever, because there is no such thing.

I consider myself to be hypersensitive to all things corporate speak. That said, I still sometimes catch myself telling someone I’ll “circle back” with them or will start with “the low hanging fruit.” I annoy myself when I hear these types of things come out of my mouth. So, I resolve for 2019 to speak with substance.

When a difficult problem arises, I promise not to drill down, take a deep dive, open the kimono (really?), peel back the onion, consider all the moving parts, reinvent the wheel or go back to the drawing board. No longer will I say that I will take it to the next level, run it up the flagpole, take it offline, run the numbers, ballpark it, think outside the box or hit the ground running when describing my approach to such a task. Instead, I will clearly and specifically detail the next steps I will take and when and how I will provide updates and results.

When scheduling conflicts happen, I will not go on about having a hard stop, being out of pocket, not having the bandwidth or needing to loop someone in, reach out down the road or touch base later. To cut through all of that, I will just plainly provide my availability and not go on about how very busy and important I think I am (isn’t that what one means when they say they “don’t have the bandwidth”).

When speaking to our team, I won’t blather on about pushing the envelope, creating a win-win situation, having skin in the game, playing hardball, creating buy-in, hitting the nail on the head, making hay or the elephant in the room. What people want to hear is factual information about why we are doing what we’re doing, what exactly is expected and when, and the results we are looking to achieve. That is what I resolve to deliver, and it will require that I speak with substance. 

How about you?  Are you with me?  Will you resolve to give it 110%?

(Oh, wait…)

* At our Annual Retreat in November, we conducted an informal survey of the members in attendance, tasking them with listing the most annoying words or phrases they hear continually in meetings or conference calls.  The results inspired us to provide this follow up, which incorporates the “corporate speak” examples our members most often cited.