One of the more unfortunate things about working an office job is that corporate cliches may wriggle into your daily conversations with friends. I've caught myself saying, "Yea, let's hang out tomorrow. I'll touch base with you in the afternoon." Another embarassing thing is when I say "thanks" before hanging up. As if I need to thank my friends for talking to me. My big fear is that one day I'll end a phone conversation by saying "Thanks, Chanchow," like I were signing an email. That would be most horrific.
Here are some office cliches that I have to be careful not to use outside the office. Lots of sports references, I'm noticing.
drop the ball
game plan
pick your brain
step up to the plate
take one for the team
hit the ground running
get our ducks in a row
Some more here. Feel free to add to the list. The more cringe-worthy, the better.
4 comments:
I've said "Thanks for calling." when I was the one that made the call. Duh..
And I hate the ever-popular "just a second" when it's easily going to be a minute or longer till the person gets back to you.
And my all-time pet peeve, when you make a business call and the person who answers the phone says "Can you hold?" and puts you on hold before you get a chance to answer. Sometimes I actually CAN hold but at other times I'm desperately trying to reach someone who I KNOW will only be there for 5 more minutes, so NO, I can't hold. Or I have a screaming sick child. Or something.
The link just goes back to your blog. So maybe these are already on the list somewhere.
"I'll let you go."
I don't know if this one applies so much to the office (I think it's just phone etiquette in general), but it's certainly annoying and very inaccurate -- when you are on the phone with someone but he/she has to get off the phone, so he/she says, "Well, I'll let you go then." As if I'M the one that has something else to do and he/she is doing ME a favor by getting off the phone.
JEM
i've totally answered the phone at home saying: "Musicology." that's so bad.
Oh how hilarious, I am guilty of "corporate speak" too, but work is so much a part of everybody's lives that it's hard keeping things separate.
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