Anybody got any impressive words I can start using in meetings?I heard somebody from the public sector use the word "cognisant" and it certainly seemed to impress everybody. She must have spent hours preparing to use that one!So, I'd like to develop a vocabulary of impressive words. So far the best one I have come up with is "strategm".

'Conundrum' isn't necessarily impressive but I just love the sound of it and it's underused so always garners some stares when uttered during a meeting.Aside from 'impressive' words, a simple word I love using is 'interesting' as a retort to a controversial point made in a meeting. It doesn't give away your thoughts whatsoever and people just can't read you. I'm always chuckling inside when I see people trying to figure out what I'm actually thinking when I say it......heh heh

Heh heh, nice one! One of the consultants here has recently started saying "we need to think about how we can start thinking more strategically" to some of our public sector clients, and they really seem to lap it up... I think I know exactly what his game is, the little rascal

Hahaha! That line is going into my 'remark' bank!! Brilliant.I reckon Cool or Mars may have a couple of gems to offer...

Good ones are remarks centred around 'gravity' e.g. 'whats the centre of gravity on this' or 'outside my gravity' etc. Can also be toyed around with for junior staff i.e. so senior you have your own gravitational pull.'Evidently'. Puts a stop to any disagreement.

Sounds like you guys haven't discovered buzzwords4u.co.ukEach time you go there it'll give you some random bull. Today I got - "lets stir fry some thoughts in my strategy wok".On another silly note it's April fools day so I came in early and put some tape at the bottom of every persons mouse so they wont work. So far the finance guy has come in took him a minute work it out. This is now going to be repeated for the next hour or so.Anyone else done some pranks ? share especially the easy ones there is still time for me to stir fry best ones in my strategy wok and execute.DC

Another classic " we need to workshop it first because we wouldn't want to wrongside the demographic";We're planting the seeds, watering the crops, and then our competitors are eating our lunch;Who has the ball we need to watchout for landmines;Are we all on the same page in terms of the big picture ?;I'll ping you an agenda, then we can touch base; and finallyBEP to Cool - can I just park in your mental multi-storey a momentDC

Lol!!I especially like your last one DC

Hehe, these are excellent

my list of most annoying phrases:1. skin in the game2. lots of moving parts3. 'open the kimono'4. don't try to boil the ocean5. parachute in our best guys6. buy-in7. OK, I'm going to drive this one guys (there is a special place in hell for the people that say this one).Just awful.

I find that its best to match your use of specific words to your day rate. For example.A 500 a day analyst should say - " I need to know what he problem is"A 1000 a day Manager should say - " We must complete the necessary work to validate and quantify the problem"A 3000 a day partner should say "the challenge we face together to is to articulate the problem in a way that resonates with all senior stakeholders"

i usually just see how many baseball analogies i can speak in before someone notices.

a word Im using a lot these days is 'percolate' in place of any word which implies thinking/consideration but which I want to obscure any deliverable date.Im also using 'play dough people' - junior staff struggling with what I feel are elementary tasks'ladybird version' - just the necessary facts and figures delivered conciselyI fully intend to get my meetings to the point where no one understand me at all but feels too ashamed to ask me to stop talking utter sh!te

Yes, percolate is a favourite of mine too, and you hit on a really key point with regard to deliberately obscure language. Any idiot can use "management speak" with the inevitable outcome of making it clear to all and sundry that person is a fool trying to sound important.The true target is, as you say, to genuinely befuddle to the point where no one calls your bluff. I find this is particularly important where you have to keep unimportant stakeholders happy when they keep demanding updates on unimportant tasks, while you keep the team focused on delivering important scope at pace.Other useful words that imply things may have to go at their own pace include"Surface" - as in, "we need to allow the appropriate issues to surface" "Socialise" - "we need to socialise these controversial proposals with stakeholders""Appropriate governance steps" - as in "you think we've made a decision, but by the time we take it through the appropriate governance steps, I'll have delivered the project without your ridiculous additional suggestions to the scope"

'Percolate' also recently secured $24mill during a recent round of fundraising...Learn something new every day they say!