The following was sent to me by a friend, Michael Galano, as a follow-up to my post, “What’s The Buzz”. Great article written by Emile Hallez (Ignites, October 7, 2013). Thanks, Mike!

“Revealed: The Most Hated Industry Jargon

By Emile Hallez October 7, 2013

“Thought leadership” and “low-hanging fruit” are like nails on a blackboard to Ignites readers, who last week bestowed the terms the ignoble crown of most hated in the fund industry.

Among sets of 10 common buzzwords and clichés in last week’s polls, readers voted their disdain for those catchphrases over others such as “solution” and “boots on the ground.”

The polls proved popular among Ignites readers, attracting 700 responses.

Experts have noted that while industry jargon and clichés can make communication more efficient, the use of unfamiliar or vague terms can also lead to discrepancies in meaning and spur confusion during interactions with both clients and associates.

Twenty-two percent of respondents voted “thought leadership” as the worst industry buzzword, over “value add” (16%), “synergy” (14%), “holistic” (10%), “solution” (9%), “leverage” (8%) and “robust” (6%).

Regarding the clichés, 19% of readers disfavored “low-hanging fruit,” just ahead of “Think outside the box” (18%), “Let’s circle back” (15%) and the moderately creepy “Open the kimono” (13%).

“Breaking down the silos” received 9% of votes, while “Skate to where the puck is going to be” garnered 7%.

The buzzword poll received 700 votes, while 668 readers voted in the cliché poll between Sept. 30 and Oct. 4. The most up-to-date results of the poll, which is still open to votes, can be viewed here.”