46 Words and Phrases to Stop Using, Courtesy of LinkedIn

<p>&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Want to improve your writing by leaps and bounds and get much better at communicating who you are and what you do? Two of LinkedIn’s most popular Pulse articles this year include a very comprehensive list of words and terms that are so overused, they have become meaningless – and annoying.</p> <p dir="ltr">I have to say that these two writers are my heroes – I really could not agree with them more. Ready to find out what words and phrases they (and I) cannot stand?</p> <p dir="ltr"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130117141235-20017018-stop-using-these-16-terms-to-describe-yourself?trk=tod-posts-postall-ptlt">Stop Using These 16 Terms to Describe Yourself</a></b></p> <blockquote><p dir="ltr">Do you write things about yourself you would never have the nerve to actually say?</p> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Although Jeff Haden is not technically talking about copywriting, this blog posts lists the top words that might look good on paper when describing you or your company but sound ridiculous and inauthentic saying out loud in real life. They include:</p> <ol> <li><p dir="ltr">Innovative</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">World-class</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Authority</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Results-oriented</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Global-provider</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Motivated</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Creative</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Dynamic</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Guru</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Curator</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Passionate</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Unique</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Incredibly</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Serial entrepreneur</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Strategist</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Collaborative</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130826001502-64875646-stop-using-these-30-phrases-at-work?trkInfo=VSRPsearchId%3A19412181419025855289%2CVSRPtargetId%3A24191%2CVSRPcmpt%3Aprimary&amp;trk=vsrp_influencer_content_res_name">Stop Using These 30 Phrases at Work</a></b></p> <blockquote><p dir="ltr">Are your meetings buzzing with so much management lingo that you find it hard to get to the real meaning of what is being said? The problem I have with these phrases is that they sound so pretentious and often are counterproductive because they irritate people so much and deflect from the real meaning.</p> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In a similar article, Bernard Marr put together a list of the “most irritating jargon phrases” that he would like very much to ban. They are:</p> <ol> <li><p dir="ltr">Going forward</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Drill-down</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">End of play</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Touch base</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">It’s on my radar</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">No-brainer</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Best of breed</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Low-hanging fruit</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Reach out</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Dive deeper</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Think outside the box</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Positive momentum</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">On my plate</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">At the end of the day</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Run the numbers</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Touch points</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Keep your eye on the ball</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Back to the drawing board</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Get the ball rolling</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Bang for your buck</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Close the deal</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">When the rubber hits the road</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Shift paradigm</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Move the needle</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Game-changing</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Move the goal post</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Value added</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Win-win</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">Across the piece</p> </li> <li><p dir="ltr">All hands on deck</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Strip these words out of your work vocabulary, and you are automatically a better writer.</p> <p dir="ltr">What would you add to the list? Share in the comments section!</p> <h3>Author information<br> <br> Monika Jansen</h3> <div><div><div><p>Monika Jansen is a freelance copywriter and editor who helps with companies of all shapes on sizes kick their content up to the next level. You can find her online at <a href="http://www.jansencomm.com/">www.jansencomm.com</a>.</p> </div> <div>| <a href="http://twitter.com/monikacjansen" target="_blank">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/monikacjansen" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> |</div> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p>