Do you speak corporate?

How speaking the language will empower your communication skills

Language is an essential aspect of culture, and I would argue that speaking the language brings you closer to the culture.

It's no different in business, technology, or product. Understanding and speaking the "language" is a tremendous way to show affiliation to a tribe.

It sounds silly, and corporate speak has been mocked endlessly (a great example here). In fact, my wife often jokes that when my kids overhear me on a call, they will be talking about escalating, circling back, and parking lot items.

But jokes aside, the language of corporate or business is critical to learn as you advance in your career so that your communication skills and ability to present yourself are taken seriously.

Not being able to speak the language is a vastly overlooked communication issue for many people; in fact, a recent article noted that departments are being cut, and a big change the departments need to make is, "According to leaders in the space, designers need to "speak the language of business."

Now, I am not sure that's entirely true or fair, and I find that to be an incredibly alarming trend because great design is the heart of any great product, and I don't want to live in a world without great design. That said, it brings up an example of what I am trying to get at: if you don't speak the language, it will be hard to be heard and show value (even if you are valuable). If a business case falls in the woods, etc.

This language transition was a gnarly (not a business word) transition for me when I came from a smaller agency and marketing background into technology. In my first technology job, I spent 3 months not understanding much of what was being said, and emulating that type of language felt foreign and weird to me. Over the years, it has been an aspect that I embraced to become a better communicator. Like it or not, the business culture will listen to those who sound like them.

A few things that can help here are immersing yourself in podcasts and books that expose you to the mental models and language used in the corporate or business world.

I know sometimes this can feel corny, and by no means is it my advice to force it, but immersing yourself in how your leaders speak and how your company says will help you deliver a message that is heard and actioned upon.

You'll feel more confident and empowered, and your ideas will be easily absorbed and understood. After all, isn't that the point?