I think any time we start something new, start interacting with a new group of people, we go through changes. Not sure what this new venture will produce in terms of deep changes in who I am, but I'm well aware of a kind of surface change that's already well under way--in my vocabulary. A month ago, I never said any of these words, or at least didn't use them the way I do now. Now I use them every day roughly 100 times each. So in honor of being in this job just about a month now, I present to you a top ten list of words and phrases from my new vocabulary:
1. collaborate/collaborative
2. engage -- of course I used this one before, but only when I was talking about Jen
3. community process
4. community partner
5. stakeholder
6. capacity
7. sustainable
8. $85 million
9. program development
10. around -- again, I've said this word before, but not with the reckless abandon I do now. See below.
Here is an example of a sentence that might use this new language:
In light of the $85 million from the Kroc gift, The Salvation Army seeks to engage community partners and other stakeholders in a community process around program development forming a sustainable collaborative that will increase the capacity of existing and planned programs.
that's quite a mouthfull...what the heck did you say, anyway?!
ReplyDeleteYou have the basis for a great Buzzword Bingo card for your PDA. If you don't have it yet, get it here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tucows.com/preview/33379?_mid=000007170
Gets me through certain meetings.
It will get better. Wait till you also add...network, facilitate, and integrate in one sentence with the words listed.
ReplyDeleteYou will truly be a non-profit lingo god!
You sound like a Social Worker.
ReplyDeleteAs a former English Lit. major and current communications writer in a large (for-profit) corporation, I cringe. I wage a constant battle against this sort of newspeak.
ReplyDeleteHere's to another fallen comrade.... (raises a Mountain Dew in salute).
:O)
Curtis.