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The views and examples in this piece are based on personal observations from corporate experience. Examples drawn from real situations have no reference to any companies or individuals.
Here I was, sitting on a Bachelor’s degree in Science—which, to me, was a mystery in itself. In retrospect, I think Bombay University awarded me the degree because it considered me less of a threat outside its hallowed campus.
After failing to convince my father that I wanted to appear for the I.A.S. entrance test (I still remember the sardonic smile on his face), and spending a few months in young adult angst, I pondered studying for a Master’s degree.
A week later, my corporate career began, at the quality control department of a well-known company that manufactured brake linings, clutch facings, and other asbestos products. As also my initiation to the world of corporate jargon.
No Low-Hanging Fruit
After 48 years in corporate life, I’ve learned that there’s really no such thing as “low-hanging fruit” in business communication.
Business language may have military origins, but the corporate world has turned jargon into an art form. Here’s a glimpse into how we, as humans, tend to make simple things unnecessarily complex.
The Word War
Corporate language got its first taste of jargon from World War II veterans who entered the business world in the 1950s and ’60s. These officers brought with them a vocabulary that reshaped communication—and created exclusive clubs within organisations.
Terms like strategy, front line, briefing, chain of command, and mission made the transition from battle ground to the boardroom.
Front-line soldiers became customer service reps. Business plans became strategic initiatives. Managers began holding debriefs after meetings, much like army officers after intelligence missions.
The military gave business its first “mission.” Corporate leaders later added “vision” to complete the package. Thus began a new era of corporate-speak—language that determined whether you belonged or not.
Enter the Management Consultant
Picture a typical meeting in the 1980s or ’90s:
“In today’s meeting, we need to establish best practices for our upcoming client project. We must clearly outline deliverables, so everyone is on the same page regarding our goals and strategies. Let’s leverage our team’s experience to maximize efficiency. I’m concerned about our bandwidth, given the tight timeline, so we’ll need to focus on bottom-line priorities. All recommendations must be actionable. Each team member should contribute their unique value-add to ensure comprehensive solutions. This project aligns with our core competency in business transformation, which is why the client selected us.”
In plain English: Let’s use our experience to help the client make more money efficiently. Focus on what works.
But somewhere along the way, plain speech became unfashionable. If your presentation didn’t include words like synergies, paradigm, or low-hanging fruit, you were on another planet. Welcome to the corporate elite.
The Digital Age
Fast-forward to today, and tech professionals have taken corporate communication to a new, more evolved dimension:
“The new normal emerging from these unprecedented times has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of work. Digital transformation is essential, with remote work policies now standard across industries. Companies are realizing that thought leadership and data-driven strategies are crucial for focusing on outcomes rather than output. Distributed teams are finding new rhythms of collaboration, relying on actionable insights while asynchronous work gains traction.”
Translation: We’re working from home. We’ve learned a few things. We’re trying to work smarter.
Notice something? We’re still using complex language to describe simple ideas.
Remote work becomes “asynchronous collaboration across time zones.” Learning from experience becomes “extracting actionable insights.” Working efficiently becomes “prioritising outcomes over output.”
The Labyrinth of Language
But perhaps nowhere does corporate jargon reach its ultimate form like in bureaucratic communication—where clarity goes to die.
Take this example: (not real, but close):
“Pursuant to the aforementioned matter in reference to your query, it is hereby submitted that the concerned department has duly noted the same and shall process it in due course as per standard operating procedures. The undersigned cannot commit to a definitive timeline, as the file must be routed through proper channels for necessary approvals from competent authorities. The matter shall be accorded due priority, subject to precedence of other pending issues of similar nature.”
Translation: We received your request. We’ll look into it.
The Corporate Status Symbol
So what is a non-MBA, non-consultant, non-strategist, and your average John or Jane Doe supposed to make of all this linguistic posturing?
Here’s the truth: corporate language serves many purposes, but clear communication isn’t one of them.
It keeps insiders in an exclusive club. It makes simple, time-tested concepts seem complex and profound. It provides an escape route when goals aren’t met. And it replaces genuine human interaction with glossy, practiced professionalism.
Suits and ties may have given way to hoodies and sneakers, but the real status symbol now is language. And we’re losing clarity, efficiency, and—most importantly—human connection.
What About “Boil the Ocean”?
That brings us to the title of this piece.
“Boil the Ocean” is probably one of the most quirky corporate phrases for attempting something impossibly large, complex, and ultimately pointless- like trying to boil all the water in the ocean. It describes projects that waste time and energy with unclear outcomes.
Maybe it’s time to stop boiling the ocean—and start having real conversations again. Simple words. Clear intent. Human connection.
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By
Mr V Krishnan
Covai S3 Retirement Community