What I call "Manager Speak" is what way too many managers use, as well as many trainers of courses in the soft-skills sector and in the management sector.
"Manager Speak" is chock-full of metaphors, euphemisms and avoidances, exactly the things I'm particularly allergic to.
Metaphors
Why are you using a metaphor?
What are you really trying to say and why are you not saying just that?
Please do think about that.
Metaphors are mostly used to paint a 'simplified' picture that allows someone to draw parallels between the 'simplified' situation and the actual situation, thereby facilitating easier understanding of the actual situation.
However, in order for this to work, that someone must first understand the context of the actual situation! So why employ a metaphor in the first place? Seems rather pointless, doesn't it?
Just say what you actually mean and only resort to a metaphor when needed:
-
Using a metaphor on someone that very
well understands the actual situation is tantamount to insult
since that someone doesn't need a 'simplified' situation at all!
-
Not
using a metaphor on someone
that doesn't understand the actual situation (well enough) amounts
to over-estimating that someone, which is actually a good
thing in a properly conducted conversation: that someone will feel
very much appreciated while interaction in the conversation will
prevent that same someone
from feeling that things
go 'over his head'. You
can always add
a metaphor (and not start with it!).
Euphemisms
Like with metaphors: just say what you actually mean!
Using euphemisms only works to confuse the issue. For example, saying
“That is a challenge”
even though the actual situation calls for
“That is a problem”
only gives someone the impression that the situation is less urgent than it really is: a problem must be fixed (immediately), while a challenge should (eventually) be overcome.
Avoidances
Saying things like“Think of something smart”
in a situation where a problem reared its ugly head only shows you don't understand the situation and impresses upon someone that you don't care about the solution of the problem.
That is obviously not what you mean, so make an effort to say what you actually mean!
You could instead have said
“How can we start fixing this problem?”
Conclusion
Just say what you mean.
Period.
