Updating Business Vernacular for an Enlightened Economy

So you know those sayings that roll off your tongue, your colleagues tongue, your old uncle Joe’s tongue? You know, ones like, “It’s every man for himself,” “He knows where the dead bodies are buried,” and “It’s a dog-eat-dog world”?

Oh yes, those (you are nodding now).

Words are social technology and we should plan for an upgrade. Some of the old guard sayings are negative, degrading, divisive, and violent. What if our common and shared sayings became positive, were inclusive, and peaceful. There should no dogs eating dogs people!!!  This adjustment does not negate innovation, creativity, and competition but can rather inspire innovation, evoke creativity, and create healthy competition.

Let’s try it. We’ve started to re-write a few sayings. Feel free to tweet us your favorite adjusted saying!

• “It’s every man for himself” ~ becomes ~ “Life is a group effort”
• “The bottom line is...” ~ becomes ~ “The triple bottom line is people, planet, profit”
• “Kill two birds with one stone” ~ becomes ~ “Work efficiently and effectively”

These newly rewritten sayings are a step in the right direction towards embracing positive business through collaboration while simultaneously deconstructing those sayings out there that produce narrow-mindedness. Each time you catch yourself muttering one of these old and outdated sayings, rewrite, reword, and re-verbalize it instead. This will leave a positive impact on whatever the situation may be and will work towards undoing the mass desensitization to inequality, violence, negativity and selfishness these sayings are confined by. The ball is in our court.