I'm making a reverse New Year's resolution:
To ease my irritation and save my sanity…
And to greatly improve your presenting, writing and storytelling...
I'd like to ask you, everybody who reads this, to commit to:
- Kicking out clichés.
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It might just be grumpy old man me, but they seem to be more and more common in modern life.
My current top (bottom) three are, in reverse order:
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3. Passionate
- Show not tell. If you really are passionate, let your work speak for itself. Show us all the great things you're doing.
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2. Lean in
- Please lean out of this. Engaging is absolutely fine. You could even engage deeply, or intensely, if so minded.
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1. Lived experience
- As opposed to died experience? What other kind is there but lived? This is the cliché which makes least sense of all.
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Feel free to add your own most loathed jargon. There’s plenty of it.
But if you could make a resolution to save me from seeing or hearing these dread monsters any more, I would be most grateful.
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Finally, the brief intellectual Cambridge bit.
Why eliminate clichés?
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1. They’re predictable
A cliché has lost any originality and impact.
When people hear one, their brain tends to switch off because they’ve suffered it countless times before.
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2. They signal lazy thinking
Using clichés can make it seem like you haven’t put any thought into your message.
Original language shows effort and creativity, which builds credibility and engagement.
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3. They lack emotional power
Clichés rarely evoke strong feelings because they’re too familiar.
Fresh, vivid language creates a more powerful emotional connection.
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4. They undermine authenticity
Leadership and persuasive communication thrive on authenticity.
Clichés can make you sound insincere, or as if you’re hiding behind stock phrases.
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Wishing you (if it's not a cliché!) a Happy New Year.
