I was never a fan of empty suit, corporate buzz words or jargon. I have attended numerous meetings where this special language of the for profit world is used.
I was sort of shocked when a fire commissioner from another department spoke to me during our recent installation about my role as PIO. He was a proponent of his own department having a public information office and wanted my take. During the conversation he used the term “Thinking out of the box.” Looks like things are starting to go downhill for us!
I don’t disagree that tremendous strides have been made over the last several years in translating corporate management skills into use for the public sector. Non profit management and administrative techniques were a distant second to what our friends in the ivory tower were employing.
But with progress comes an influx of corporate jargon intermixed into our own fire service code words and phrases.
Here are a number of the worst phrases and buzz words I have heard from other public service professionals in conversation and at seminars.
Think outside the box
Going forward
People manager
Touch base
In the loop
Synergy
This I remember was the first word I remember that crossed the profit/non profit line.
Robust
Engaged
Drill down
This has got to be the hottest buzz phrase. I seem to here it every day now.
Out of pocket
Accountable
Too much on my plate
That being said …
No worries
Due Diligence
Anyone have anything to add to the list?
Also on The Fire PIO…
- Thin Blue Line – December 9, 2010
- Even the Walls have Ears – November 24, 2010
- Looks like we are getting some Respect – December 7, 2010
- How do I Address a Judge? – November 18, 2010
“Step up to the plate”. Man, that’s a crowded plate, because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard of people rising to the occasion (sorry, stepping up to the plate).
And more specific to the fire service industry…
HIPAA. It seems that many people haven’t much of a clue about it. You can learn more about it right from the horse’s mouth, so to speak (Go here to find out if you’re a covered entity; you may well be surprised).
From Jason at Volunteer Fire/EMS Recruitment and Retention Network
Jeff I love it…I came from the staffing industry and I apply corporate sales strategy to all of my programs. Standard, “Wordtracks” (From RHI) are great when following up with potential benefactors or companies you want free services from! Additionally, injecting modern business into the fire service brings [some of us] out of the 19th century. Volunteer departments should start to think of themselves as fully integrated non-profit organizations…instead of a hangout where a bunch of guys have handlebar mustaches. Volunteer fire/rescue companies have organizational charts, a board of directors, multiple divisions (EMS, Training, Fire, Fundraising, etc etc) and are becoming slowly technologically savvy(find me a department that does not have a website these days…)
I very much want to see the “town firehouse on main street” become the “leading, most diverse, non-profit organization in the area” So…if you are an old timer…stick to operations and stay out of the admin…or take a hike!
-Jason