
As Grant Thornton’s CEO, I visit with a lot of leaders of our clients and prospects, and I often hear complaints about all the jargon in the business world today. They tell me that when some of their consultants talk or send in their reports, they’re not always sure they understand what the consultant is saying. There’s an endless jumble of big, fancy words and ready-made phrases. But the client wants to know what the real problem is and what the team is actually going to do. And they want to know it in plain English !
I actually found quite a few items on the list that I’m guilty of using. From “customer-centric” to “low-hanging fruit” to “core competencies,” we all sometimes use rhetorical shorthand to get a point across. And that’s no crime. The problem starts when we allow tired, vague, made-up language to substitute for well-expressed, original ideas.
In a business world where change happens fast and teams need to quickly agree about what’s going on and how to act with speed, there’s no time for imprecise language or #businessjargon. As business partners to our clients, we need to listen intently and then respond in plain language with great ideas that move the team forward.
That bias for insight, clarity and action is a big part of our culture at Grant Thornton — and it’s an important part of what we mean by #StatusGo. We are all making an effort to be more aware of our worst language habits — and “move the needle” toward Status Go language and better results for our clients and teammates.
Contact:
Mike McGuire

CEO
T: +1 704 632 6788