Welcome to the communicator's lexicon! What trap lies behind each expression? How can we avoid it, or, if necessary, live it with dignity? 💡 The team We Are COM is here to decipher this gibberish for you! Here we go with the survival guide for the savvy communicator.
#1 – Let’s take a quick look?
The translation : "Pour yourself a large coffee to keep your eyes open and get ready to sacrifice 2 hours of your day while keeping a smile on your face!"
The anti-bullshit trick : A “quick point,” seriously? Communicators know this, Meeting can sometimes rhyme with going around in circles. 🤓 To avoid being a victim, why not carefully analyze your colleagues' survival strategies? The one who nods mechanically, the one who answers emails discreetly, the one who stares desperately at the wall...
#2 – This is a super challenging idea!
The translation : "This project will take so long to come to fruition that… The idea will probably end up on a post-it note, abandoned by everyone in the dark corner of an office.”
The anti-bullshit trick : 💨 The challenging project is the urban legend of the communicator! To avoid defeat, you can always adopt the technique of “concretely, how do we go about it?" and watch – amused – the face of your interlocutor fall.
#3 – Let’s stay agile!
The translation : “Prepare to drown in the terrible abyss of indecision, in the ocean of uncertainties. The brief will be so changeable that you won't know where you're going or why.”
The anti-bullshit trick : “Agile” isn't a way of working; it's a competitive sport where everyone is running in different directions. What's left to do? 🎋 Start practicing yoga, breathing, and releasing tension... Or go grab a chocolate bar.
#4 – I’ll get back to you ASAP…
The translation : “I’m just saying this to please you, of course! You’ll have my feedback in 3 weeks… Or never, who knows?”
The anti-bullshit trick : In fact, ASAP means “Waiting Without Future, Pigeon”? 🤨 Trap your interlocutor before he traps you by replying immediately: “SSuper, would you rather I harass you on Teams or by email?“It won't guarantee you a faster return, but at least it will have brightened your day a little.
#5 – It’s a long-term project…
The translation : “This project will last for ages, like a relic of history! No matter what, pretend to care about it here, now, and right away.”
The anti-bullshit trick : You're signing up for a lifetime commitment, or at least for the next 25 years. Don't get carried away and accept that you'll be moving in slow motion. Sometimes procrastination is a good thing... ⛱
#6 – We’re moving forward in test & learn mode!
The translation : “It's all going to be a complete mess, but rest assured it's great to fail and start again, fail and start again, fail and start again... until it works (or not).”
The anti-bullshit trick : Moving forward blindly is, above all, a test of your patience! 😬 The best advice we could give you is to carefully record all your failures. One day, you'll laugh about it!
#7 – It’s a great opportunity!
The translation : “You'll be working like crazy on a project for which you'll get absolutely no credit. But it's an opportunity, so why turn it down?”
The anti-bullshit trick : Ah, the opportunity... 🎰 That invisible jackpot! Ask yourself if it's worth the risk. And the good news is, with a good excuse, you can do anything, so use your imagination.
#8 – We’re going to focus on frugality!
The translation : “Say goodbye to your grand ambitions… and your enthusiasm for the project. And then panic, because it's all on you!”
The anti-bullshit trick : Frugality is the challenge of a super-tight budget. Stay optimistic and get ready to tinker. 🙃 If you can't figure out how to design an impactful campaign with three pencils and a paperclip, dive back into the MacGyver series.
#9 – I wasn’t on this topic…
The translation : “I'll stop you right there! I don't really need to know more… Anyway, I've decided I'm not going to help you.”
The anti-bullshit trick : Be careful, there is only one solution! Don't react, just stare into space for a few moments and rephrase your request differently: "We were saying? Anyway, would you prefer that we take a moment to discuss this now or that we settle on a point later?” 😈
#10 – Shall we order pizzas?
The translation : “It's better to appear nice by offering a good Regina to let you know that this is where you'll be spending the night.”
The anti-bullshit trick : It's the beginning of the end, the critical moment when you realize that pizza will be your only source of hope for the next few hours. 🍕 Take the last slice, that'll be something!
