There is a lot of hand-wringing about the future of journalism. Editor and Publisher has a list compiled by the AP of daily newspapers that have been downsized, taken online or shutdown. The Chicago Sun Times filed for bankruptcy March 31. So much for going out like a lamb. Unless to the slaughter. […]
A few weeks ago I wrote a list of six phrases that I felt should be added to the corporate jargon banned list. Now, Reuters is reporting that a government group in Britain believes that a lot more than six phrases need rethinking.
The story quotes the chairman of the Local Government Association, offering her simple and clear view of the problem. […]
When I conduct crisis communications exercises and simulations it is very common for the trainees to minimize the bad news that is in front of them or to delay reporting it. Human beings generally hate delivering bad news. In the exercises we run, you can see the instinct kick in and the discomfort that comes with the prospect of telling a relative that their loved one has been killed or informing a neighborhood that your company has just polluted its groundwater. […]
Most everyone knows or has heard about “Buzzword Bingo.” That’s the game where you listen to the corporate drones talk about the latest initiative and mark off the buzzwords they use in their presentation.
The best communications are simple, clear and are easy to understand. Buzzwords hinder clarity and tend to add little if anything to your audience’s understanding. […]