Many people working in large companies speak business-buzzwords as a second language. Business language is full of pretty meaningless words. I Don’t Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore article tells that the language of internet business models has made the problem even worse. There are several strains of this epidemic: We have forgotten how to use the real names of real things, acronymitis, and Meaningless Expressions (like “Our goal is to exceed the customer’s expectation”). This would all be funny if it weren’t true. Observe it, deconstruct it, and appreciate just how ridiculous most business conversation has become.
Check out this brilliant Web Economy Bullshit Generator page. It generates random bullshit text based on the often used words in business language. And most of the material it generates look something you would expect from IT executives and their speechwriters (those are randomly generated with Web Economy Bullshit Generator):
“scale viral web services”
“integrate holistic mindshare”
“transform back-end solutions”
“incentivize revolutionary portals”
“synergize out-of-the-box platforms”
“enhance world-class schemas”
“aggregate revolutionary paradigms”
“enable cross-media relationships”
How to talk like a CIO article tries to tell how do CIOs talk, and what do they talk about, and why they do it like they do it. It sometimes makes sense to analyze the speaking and comportment styles of the people who’ve already climbed the corporate ladder if you want to do the same.
The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon article tells that the stupid business talk is longer solely the province of consultants, investors and business-school types, this annoying gobbledygook has mesmerized the rank and file around the globe. The next time you feel the need to reach out, touch base, shift a paradigm, leverage a best practice or join a tiger team, by all means do it. Just don’t say you’re doing it. If you have to ask why, chances are you’ve fallen under the poisonous spell of business jargon. Jargon masks real meaning. The Most Annoying, Pretentious And Useless Business Jargon article has a cache of expressions to assiduously avoid (if you look out you will see those used way too many times in business documents and press releases).
Is Innovation the Most Abused Word In Business? article tells that most of what is called innovation today is mere distraction, according to a paper by economist Robert Gordon. Innovation is the most abused word in tech. The iPad is about as innovative as the toaster. You can still read books without an iPad, and you can still toast bread without a toaster. True innovation radically alters the way we interact with the world. But in tech, every little thing is called “innovative.” If you were to believe business grads then “innovation” includes their “ideas” along the lines of “a website like *only better*” or “that thing which everyone is already doing but which I think is my neat new idea” Whether or not the word “innovation” has become the most abused word in the business context, that remains to be seen. “Innovation” itself has already been abused by the patent trolls.
Using stories to catch ‘smart-talk’ article tells that smart-talk is information without understanding, theory without practice – ‘all mouth and no trousers’, as the old aphorism puts it. It’s all too common amongst would-be ‘experts’ – and likewise amongst ‘rising stars’ in management and elsewhere. He looks the part; he knows all the right buzzwords; he can quote chapter-and-verse from all the best-known pundits and practitioners. But is it all just empty ‘smart-talk’? Even if unintentional on their part, people who indulge in smart-talk can be genuinely dangerous. They’ll seem plausible enough at first, but in reality they’ll often know just enough to get everyone into real trouble, but not enough to get out of it again. Smart-talk is the bane of most business – and probably of most communities too. So what can we do to catch it?
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Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Excel at Networking in a Business Event
https://www.nbforum.com/publications/networking-business-event/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Create Marketing That Moves: The Science Behind Ideas That Spread
https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/blog/create-marketing-that-moves-the-science-behind-ideas-that-spread/
Marketing isn’t just about clever slogans or flashy campaigns—it’s about making ideas move. At Nordic Business Forum 2025, Wharton Marketing Professor Jonah Berger will unpack the science of how to get messages to catch on, whether you’re launching a product, promoting a service, or championing a new idea at work. “There’s a science behind why people talk and why they share,” Jonah explains. “It’s not random, it’s not luck, it’s not chance.”
The Power of Word of Mouth
In a world oversaturated with advertising, one thing remains constant: people trust people. “Word of mouth is still the biggest driver of why things become popular,” Jonah says. Whether you’re selling a product or spreading a message, it’s real conversations that fuel real results.
Word of mouth does more than create buzz. It builds trust, drives conversions, and provides organic reach that money can’t buy.
“It generates awareness, it encourages consideration, it drives conversion. It’s much more effective than things like traditional advertising.”
But here’s the catch: people don’t share things for your benefit. “Too often, companies and organizations care a lot about how they look. But consumers and customers don’t care about you. They care about themselves. They care about how they look to their peers.”
So how do you harness this? Help your customers look smart, savvy, or special when they talk about you. Scarcity, exclusivity, and early access all play into this. “Getting information before others or having access to something that not everyone else has makes you look good to others,” Jonah explains.
Six Keys to Making Ideas Spread
Luckily, making something go viral isn’t guesswork; it’s a clear process. In his book Contagious, Jonah outlines six key principles that drive sharing. Together, they spell out STEPPS:
Social Currency – People share things that make them look good.
Triggers – Top-of-mind means tip-of-tongue.
Emotion – When we care, we share.
Public – Built to show, built to grow.
Practical Value – News you can use.
Stories – Information travels under the guise of narrative.
Each principle taps into core human behavior. “By understanding the psychological drivers of why people talk and why they share, we can get all sorts of things to catch on,” Jonah says.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stop Pushing, Start Pulling
For too long, marketing was about pressure; push the product, push the message, push the customer. But in recent years, many marketers have noticed that this approach is more likely to backfire. “Smart companies have realized that when we push people, they just push back,” says Jonah.
The key is to lower resistance by giving people a sense of choice.
“People don’t like to feel like they’re being told what to do. So we need to give people back freedom and control. Give them choices… rather than telling them what to do.”
Want better engagement? Ask questions instead of making statements. Provide options instead of ultimatums. When people feel empowered, they’re more likely to buy in—literally and figuratively.
Marketing with Magic Words
Jonah’s latest book, Magic Words, explores the power of words. “Subtle shifts in language can have a big impact on others’ behavior,” he says.
For example, instead of asking someone to help, ask them to be a helper. That one word shift increases compliance by around 30%. Similarly, swapping “I like it” for “I recommend it” boosts persuasion by nearly 40%.
“We may not see ourselves as writers, but we write PowerPoint decks and emails and presentations, all of which impact others,” Jonah says. “Yet we think a lot less about the specific words we use when communicating those ideas.” But you should.
Make Ideas Spread Internally
Marketing isn’t just for the outside world. Every leader knows the challenge of getting buy-in within a team or organization. “We often need to get colleagues on board and encourage them to see things from our perspective,” Jonah says.
The same principles that help a product spread externally can help an idea take hold internally. Use storytelling. Offer practical value. Tap into emotion. And crucially, reduce resistance by making it feel like a shared journey, not a top-down mandate.
https://www.nbforum.com/newsroom/blog/create-marketing-that-moves-the-science-behind-ideas-that-spread/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.etla.fi/ajankohtaista/nelipaivainen-tyoviikko-kavin-lapi-tutkimusnayttoa-ja-se-on-onnetonta/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Z-sukupolvi on alkanut tuijottaa oudosti – nyt asiantuntijat ja someväki pohtivat, mistä ilmiö johtuu
Nuorten työntekijöiden tapa tuijottaa ilmeettömästi töissä kummastuttaa ja ärsyttää vanhempia sukupolvia Yhdysvalloissa. Kehonkielen asiantuntija pitää ilmettä loukkaavana.
https://yle.fi/a/74-20174290
Tomi Engdahl says:
Digitaalista liiketoimintaa kaikille – saavutettavuus osana kehitystyötä
Haluatko luoda digitaalisen palvelun, joka huomioi kaikkien käyttäjien tarpeet? Varmistamme, että saavutettavuus on keskiössä projektisi jokaisessa vaiheessa.
https://www.kiskolabs.com/palvelut/saavutettavuus?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=01%20Liidit%20%7C%20decision%20makers&utm_content=01%20%7C%20dm%20%7C%20saavutettavuuslaki&fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLvZeJleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAY2ReMpawEelJDYjRewRtnJoalMtyXqUlOoXet0QFfNIvj60dpgxfNr0j4gh84zaHP0RQQ_aem_GOjGwOfcJqzUohdTe2fN6A&utm_id=6753254174019&utm_term=6753254173819
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.broshop.fi/pages/meidan-stoori