PR pros beware. Don’t let this list of banned words trip you up. – SCN Encourager

The famed Econsultancy sure hasn’t done me any favors.

Dang ’em.

Their list might put me out of business.

They can bemoan “PRspeak and jargon” all they want – but I will go to my grave defending our constitutional right to express “mumbo-jumbo.”

Gratefully, the list below doesn’t include any of the words we real-world school communicators frequently use on the job.

Otherwise…

Well anyway, Econsultancy’s editors warn that if you want to stay below the “BS Radar” of most people, you must avoid the following words:

• Verbage

• Robust

• Paradigm shift

• Cradle-to-grave

•  24/7

•  Come to the party

•  Synergies

•  Incentivise

•  Leverage

•  Touch base

•  Learnings

•  Over-arching

•  Deliverables

•  Actionable

•  Value-added

•  Mission critical

•  Blue sky thinking

Econsultancy attempts to show some sensitivity and heart by recommending that you can convey the same concepts by just “choosing” to use different words.

Really now.

Isn’t this like telling a person who’s broke to just go out and “choose” to get some money?

Besides, I’ve never even heard “blue sky thinking” before!

So, how in the world can I come up with an alternative for that?

And, uh oh…

here’s a stinging punch to the gut.

“Come to the party” is another one on the list I’m not all that familiar with, either!

———————————————-