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Aspiring managers should learn management-speak to understand what is going on – but must not make the mistake of using it, says Blair MacPherson Inexperienced managers and those who lack confidence, think reports sound better if they are hard to understand. The idea of writing a report is not to impress but explain, influence and persuade. And it is exactly the same in meetings. Of course, this is not rocket science, everyone knows that you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. The priority is for everyone to be singing from the same song sheet. Having run this idea up the flagpole, the main thing is for everyone to realise this is not an exercise in ticking the boxes. However, it is important that an individual steps up to the plate, recognises we don't have time for hand-holding, and puts all their ducks in line. And remember, when it comes to costing proposals, what we need is the ballpark figure. Put like this, these expressions sound ridiculous. Most are American in origin, and many are sporting terms. Originally, these expressions were designed to explain or illustrate in a way more likely to be understood by the intended audience, hence the sporting language. So, ‘stepping up to the plate' is a baseball phrase used to mean taking responsibility, and the ‘ballpark figure' is the estimated or rounded-up number as in the attendance at a sporting event. ‘It's not rocket science' is intended to emphasise that something is not difficult. ‘Running an idea up the flagpole' is about drawing a new concept to everyone's attention, like waving a flag. ‘You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs' is another way of saying, you can't get something done without upsetting someone, and the end result is worth the short-term pain. ‘We are all on-message' or ‘singing from the same song sheet' suggests everyone is clear what is expected, and we are all saying the same things to our staff and customers. A favourite management expression at present is that this is not an exercise in ticking the boxes. This is intended to convince staff that we are not just going through the motions, but want to see real action. The expression comes from the fact that we have all become used to completing computerised tick box forms. And finally, if you want to negotiate a good deal or make a persuasive argument, you need to get everything in order, or get all your ‘ducks in line'. Many of these expressions have become overused and, rather than illustrating a point, they have become shorthand. The result is that some people use the shorthand without understanding what it is shorthand for. Much better to just say what you mean. Blair McPherson is director of community services at Lancashire CC

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WHITEHALL

Learn the clichés to avoid them

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