When You Can't Think of the Word to Express Your Idea – Make One Up

Notes from leadership classes

We are fairly flexible people around here. Why use words that are in the dictionary when you can make up your own? Several times this year in the midst of team and leadership discussions, participants have used words or phrases that, we are pretty sure, are not part of the English language. But they convey very well (better?) the ideas behind struggles or successes we have in our workplaces.

Here are a few examples:

Deweirdify

In a discussion of Workplace Recognition Techniques, a manager was explaining how pointing out individual contributions sometimes feels awkward. He noted the work culture and norms in the manufacturing work environment. As the class members had been working on shifting the culture to be more accepting of sincere and supportive appreciation, they grasped this term as an acknowledgment that it is important to remove the awkwardness through humor and sincerity.

Disgagement

As a Leadership Engagement Group was developing strategies for improving workplace engagement, somebody (it may have been the trainer) began talking about the process where some workers become less and less involved and more and more entitled. We all know what she meant.

Speed Reading People

This discussion was around the Power of Active Listening. We were reviewing ways that we all lose out at the important skill of listening. One participant, who had been trained in speed reading, admitted that she often only grabs the “key points” and rushes to the conclusion of a person’s statements before they are done: speed reading them. I may be guilty of this one as well.

The T-Ball Factor

In an employee team-building session we were discussing the importance of having a praise:criticism ratio that is at least 5:1 but not more than 13:1. The problem with overpraising our teammates is that we lose legitimacy and traction in the relationship. A manager shared his observation of parents at a T-Ball game screaming enthusiastically to their kid every time she takes a swing or even lifts the bat. We all reflected upon the look on the face of most children in this situation. Point is: there is a sweet spot for giving praise; do it, but don’t overdo it.

Got any cool words you are using to describe workplace success or struggle? Let us know!