Business jargon, do you use it?

I think jargon is everyone's second nature, and if you work in an industry, you communicate using these phrases and terms all the time. I believe you only realise it is a jargon once a lay person asks you what it means or can't understand you.

This is especially true in more closed, technical-oriented professions, like lawyers, doctors, engineers etc.

Never thought of "Touch base" as business jargon, use it in everyday language  Historically I think I started using back in military days, where some us in a room with a few beers and we descend into a near foreign acronym strewn and slang language. Regardless of how many years we've been back in civvy street.

I remember corporate land took acronyms to a new level, and it used to be good fun on technical conference calls to drop in made up words for a laugh, and your colleagues would wet themselves, leaving the project manager and customer unaware.

Stuff like "thinking out of the box" and blue sky thinking" still make me cringe, and using the word "absolutely" to death during meetings (something I'm guilty of).

But it can also depend on who your target audience/clients are. I tend to subconsciously tailor my blurb depending who I'm talking to, eg, talk to a plumber or a sparky, then be straight to the point, times money, and if you're talking rubbish, they will normally very quickly tell you.

But deal with a large Trade Association at the Director level, then there is an expected dance of bluff and bluster, as everything has to go via the committee meeting, with a decision in about 6 months. Talk to local Government and it can get worse, who may need to provide you with a glossary of their acronyms 

But agree with Legal Stop, I think all trades and walks of life do it, some worse than others!

So lets form a huddle, analyse, then touch base on this debate and see if we need to adjust any KPI's or strategic objectives

Failing that, is the kettle on?

My Favorite is "Reaching out" - think that comes from our cousins across the pond.

Can you quantify that? 

Just seen some great ones on The Ridiculous Business Jargon Dictionary

Address [v.] Used as a replacement for 'do', 'tackle', or 'complete', this word nicely avoids making a commitment to which the speaker can be held accountable. "I will address all of your concerns in the upcoming weeks."

Aggressive mediocrity[n.] A conscious effort to ensure that the bare minimum, and nothing more, is achieved.

At the end of the day[exp.] The speaker would like you to know that he has a profound understanding about what is important and what is not.

Availability [n.] A convenient way of separating the individual from the ability to manage her own time. "I'd love to come, but I'm not sure about my availability, grandma."

But my favourite

Assmosis [v.] The apparent absorption of success that comes from sucking up.

Recognise a few of them, so shall try harder to be jargon free