Don't use sayings, cute phrases, or non-industry jargon. Plain, simple business text works better and you don't run into a possible offensive phrase. Unless you know every phrase that might be offensive, then don't risk it. If you cannot be a compelling writer with just basic language then get help. That's how you learn.
On that note, some organizations (e.g. The US Government) have cycles where words go from good, clued in meanings to bad, evil, outsider meanings. I realize this sounds like some high school clique stuff, but its so damn true. Its actually worse because there are many, many departments, and I'm sure many organizations have their own things. I had an aunt who was a grant writer and kept up with these things by volunteering to be a reader every so often. It kept her in touch with the trends. Now, you can follow other companies / governments social media accounts, request for proposals, and press releases for the phrasing you should use when presenting to them.
These days, unless it is organization photos, I really try to not have any people in my slides. I just don't think its worth it because you will offend someone. It might seem paranoid, but I really believe social media makes a lot of people from all sides overanalyze everything.
On that note, some organizations (e.g. The US Government) have cycles where words go from good, clued in meanings to bad, evil, outsider meanings.
Quick anecdote: I remember the day when "Information Assurance" was out and "Cybersecurity" was in. Took a few years for it to fully propogate in policies and org names... but it did.
They don't even really have the same meaning, but nevertheless... we all had to Find-and-Replace.
I have seen this in the corporate environment just as much. It becomes somewhat clear after senior leadership changes: after a few months you will hear others use words that were previously only used by the new incoming leader.
It's not necessarily linked to what is "hot" right now. For example, I have observed German colleagues copy Italian phrasing in english.
It becomes somewhat clear after senior leadership changes: after a few months you will hear others use words that were previously only used by the new incoming leader.
Although this isn't always a good thing.
After a UK company I worked for was taken over by a US company, we started to get these nauseating "all hands" propaganda calls, hosted by the senior executives. The rank and file staff were indeed later using words previously used only by the incoming leader: they were the butt of just about every office joke for weeks, and demonstrated the raw contempt that the people doing the real work had for the empty rhetoric the executives delighted in making us all sit through.
Maybe it was some 4D chess thing intended to boost morale after the takeover. Yes, I'm sure that was it. :-)
Comments
Don't use sayings, cute phrases, or non-industry jargon. Plain, simple business text works better and you don't run into a possible offensive phrase. Unless you know every phrase that might be offensive, then don't risk it. If you cannot be a compelling writer with just basic language then get help. That's how you learn.
On that note, some organizations (e.g. The US Government) have cycles where words go from good, clued in meanings to bad, evil, outsider meanings. I realize this sounds like some high school clique stuff, but its so damn true. Its actually worse because there are many, many departments, and I'm sure many organizations have their own things. I had an aunt who was a grant writer and kept up with these things by volunteering to be a reader every so often. It kept her in touch with the trends. Now, you can follow other companies / governments social media accounts, request for proposals, and press releases for the phrasing you should use when presenting to them.
These days, unless it is organization photos, I really try to not have any people in my slides. I just don't think its worth it because you will offend someone. It might seem paranoid, but I really believe social media makes a lot of people from all sides overanalyze everything.
Quick anecdote: I remember the day when "Information Assurance" was out and "Cybersecurity" was in. Took a few years for it to fully propogate in policies and org names... but it did.
They don't even really have the same meaning, but nevertheless... we all had to Find-and-Replace.
I have seen this in the corporate environment just as much. It becomes somewhat clear after senior leadership changes: after a few months you will hear others use words that were previously only used by the new incoming leader.
It's not necessarily linked to what is "hot" right now. For example, I have observed German colleagues copy Italian phrasing in english.
It becomes somewhat clear after senior leadership changes: after a few months you will hear others use words that were previously only used by the new incoming leader.
Although this isn't always a good thing.
After a UK company I worked for was taken over by a US company, we started to get these nauseating "all hands" propaganda calls, hosted by the senior executives. The rank and file staff were indeed later using words previously used only by the incoming leader: they were the butt of just about every office joke for weeks, and demonstrated the raw contempt that the people doing the real work had for the empty rhetoric the executives delighted in making us all sit through.
Maybe it was some 4D chess thing intended to boost morale after the takeover. Yes, I'm sure that was it. :-)