I’ve noticed a couple of surveys this week. One about the most hated buzzwords and one about the most intimidating professions to deal with.
Taking the office buzzwords first, the number one hate was “touch base”, which I have to admit is one I dislike. What’s wrong with “meet”? Apart from anything else it sounds like a baseball term and we don’t really play that over here (although we did actually invent the game; it’s mentioned in one of Jane Austen’s novels).
The number two peeve was also mentioned by over 20% of those asked and was “Blue sky thinking”. Have to admit I do use that but like the F word, generally not in public.
Sadly my all-time un-favourites weren’t on the list. “Going forward”. That one really gets me. Don’t know why, it just does. Maybe it’s because time-wise you can’t actually do anything BUT go forward. And 24/7, how about “all the time”.
The survey suggested that it’s because it saves time to use this jargon, but most of the time frankly it doesn’t.
Anyhow, on to survey number 2. The most feared profession is Gordon Ramsey’s : chefs. Also bar staff and waiters are considered hard to deal with. I wonder is this isn’t more to do with the dislike of spoiling a night out if you need to complain.
After these guys come accountants and bookkeepers. Really, we are scary? Haven’t they seen Monty Pythons Lion Tamer sketch, or the Marriage guidance counsellor sketch?
Surely we are harmless? Or maybe it’s that a lot of accountants like to baffle with numbers and that’s what puts people off?
If that’s what worries you about your accountant come and talk to me. I can put things over as simply or as in depth as you like. If you want a careful line by line breakdown with ratios and graphs and charts, I can do that.
Or if you prefer an explanation along the lines of the cartoon above, because all you want to know is that everything is being taken care of and you don’t need to worry about it anymore, I can oblige too.
Have a great week
Paul