“There he goes again, flaunting his mumbo jumbo management”

This is a common feeling that many of us get (and some of us trigger) when listening to people talk at work. But do we understand this popular management jargon correctly?

While some may use these phrases simply to impress, others may well use them to send a message. Here are the 10 most used buzzwords in the workplace;

1. Think outside the box
When you approach your manager with a problem, he says, “Why don’t you try thinking outside the box to come up with a solution?”
Sure, creative thinking could give you the answer, but some managers use this to evade the question until they can think of a solution.

2. Let’s go back in a circle
Isn’t the distance shorter when you go in a straight line instead of going around in a circle?
Turning around is a fancy term meaning we’ll meet again later. This is generally used when some additional work needs to be done before the discussion can begin.

3. Synergy
This term became popular during the making of the atomic bomb when the energy of different particles came together in synergy to cause a huge explosion.
While no organization would encourage an explosion, the intent behind this phrase is to promote team togetherness and collective thinking.

4. Let’s touch base
Wear this statement on a college campus and the teens will be laughing in your face. If only our leaders knew what connotations this phrase carries.
On a professional note, this simply means we’re going to catch up.

5. EOD (End of Day)
“I need this to be EODed” is commonly heard on the office floor.
A sweet and more acceptable way of saying that you have to complete the task or you won’t be able to come home. A modified version of this is COB (Close of Business), which usually means 6 pm local time.

6. Paradigm
This is an exciting word to hear and many users may not even get the pronunciation right!
While broadly meaning ‘example’, it is primarily used to indicate a specific thought process: perspective.
The term has given rise to claims such as Paradigm Shift, which suggests a change in approach.

7. 50,000 foot view
“Give me a view of 10,000/20,000…50,000 feet” is widely used by top management.
A polite way of asking only for the highlights, it’s used when someone wants to confirm the overall status of a task.

8. More for less
Quickly becoming part of every management discourse, this term is a favorite during economic uncertainty.
It simply means doing more expecting less, this is an effective way of signaling to the team that times are tough.

9. You have to take it to the next level
It is mainly used when one does not live up to expectations.
This doesn’t always have to mean a bad thing, as your manager could be signaling that you have the potential to do much better and work at the next (performance) level.

10. Win-win
It is safe to assume that every manager should know and use this term.
Simply put, it means that everyone benefits and the end result serves the purpose of each entity involved. A manager might tell his team member that while he can’t take the day off, he can log in from home and get the job done. The task is completed while the employee can save travel time, a win-win situation.