Five words you shouldn’t use at work

If you’re going to use a word, you should probably make sure it means what you intend.

Use a word too often, or one someone else has already made a cliche, and you may find the turn of phrase you think makes you or your company look fabulous is really doing the opposite.

Website Inc.com has published a list of words people and companies commonly use to describe themselves and why they’re making a mistake.

Here’s a taste and why they’re no-nos:

• Innovative: “If you’re innovative, don’t say it. Prove it.”
• Passionate: “Try focus, concentration, or specialisation instead. Save the passion for your loved one.”
• Unique: “You are unique – but your business probably isn’t. Don’t pretend to be, because customers don’t care about unique; they care about ‘better’.”
• Curator: “Museums have curators ... Tweeting links to stuff you find interesting doesn’t make you a curator”.
• Guru: “People who try to be clever for the sake of being clever are anything but.”

Inc.com has more words to avoid and some helpful hints for ways to describe yourself or your business that just might work better.

READ NEXT:

• Entrepreneurial women who know how to have it all
• Where to wine and dine clients in Adelaide
• The management technique that could kill your company
• Treat workers like children and you might get childish results

• Tweet