Scene: Viking leader, standing before gathered warriors wielding swords. "Going forward, this is how it will be."
Business cliches are so part of the language that they end up in television shows about the 7th century.
Cliches have their advantages. They do colorfully explain an idea.
Check out these typical business cliches:
Going forward and trying not to sound like a broken record, let's address the elephant in the room, sharpen our pencils and polish the company image. This project isn't about me; it's about us. We're on the same team. Put on your thinking caps and don't hesitate to chime in with workable ideas. Think outside the box. Color outside the lines and run with this. Make it pop. Let your creative juices flow. It's time for a paradigm shift. Take it to the next level. We may encounter pushback, but if we wrap our heads around the basic problem, we can right-size it. Tear down silos and move the needle, but don't lose track of our basic core principles. We're customer-focused and results oriented, so peel back those onion skins. Strategize, analyze, scrutinize, monetize, and incentivize. We need a win-win.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
