Business Slang and Jargon – acronyms and exercises
In our fast-paced global world, using business slang, jargon and acronyms not only speeds up your communication skills, but it is a great way to increase your fluency and stay up-to-date on the latest lingo!
Jargon also fosters a sense of belonging and mutual understanding within a company or industry, as shared language reinforces cultural cohesion and professional identity. However, while business slang and jargon are powerful tools, it is important to use these terms wisely in order not to alienate colleagues who may not be familiar with the terminology.
Right, are you ready for some boardroom banter?
Exercise 1: Let’s practice jargon!
- Match the terms with the correct definition.
| Phrase | Definition | ||
| 1 | Touch base | A | Upcoming projects/deals in progress. |
| 2 | Leverage | B | Creative thinking beyond current beliefs/practices. |
| 3 | On the same page | C | Focus on a specific aspect of a larger topic. |
| 4 | Win-win | D | Get in contact or update someone. |
| 5 | In the pipeline | E | The most important piece of information to remember. |
| 6 | Drill down | F | Agreement and support for a plan/idea. |
| 7 | Game changer | G | A situation beneficial to all parties involved. |
| 8 | Key takeaway | H | Everyone understanding and agreeing to something. |
| 9 | Blue sky thinking | I | An innovation/event that significantly alters a plan or situation. |
| 10 | Buy-in | J | Use something to maximum advantage. |
These terms can help you navigate discussions and covey ideas effectively in a working environment.
These specialised terms condense complex ideas into succinct phrases and facilitate efficient and precise transfer of information among professionals.
For example, “let’s circle back” instantly communicates the need to revisit a topic at a later time, whereas taking a “deep dive” means a thorough examination/analysis of a subject.
Industry-specific terms help professionals to convey expertise and credibility, enhancing trust and respect amongst colleagues.
Exercise 2: Now, let’s do as acronyms quiz.
- Skim the acronyms & complete the gap fill exercise in
5 minutes – GO!
| Acronym | Meaning |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| EOD | End of (the) day |
| PTO | Paid time off |
| BIZ | Business |
| POC | Point of contact |
| PTE | Part-time employee |
| CFO | Chief Financial Officer |
| Q1 | Quarter 1 / the first quarter |
| ETA | Estimated time of arrival |
| OOO | Out of office |
I’m the ___________ of a large company and my wife handles the cash so she is the __________ of our very successful business. My wife drives the kids to school so her _____________ at work is later than mine. However, at the ______________ we leave work together. We generally go on holiday in __________, it is_____________, so we hire a ___________ to run the business, and make sure to set the ____________ on our emails and redirect them to the new ____________ .
- Just a few more business and financial jargon words and phrases to keep your mind actively busy
| More Abbreviations and Acronyms | |||
| Acct. | Account | ROI | Return on investment |
| Cr. | Credit | YTD | Year to date |
| Dr. | Debit | FTE | Full-time employment |
| FIFO | First in, first out | OT | Off topic |
| LILO | Last in, last out | KPI | Key performance indicator |
| WOM | Word of mouth | ASAP | As soon as possible |
| CTA | Call to action | TBD | To be decided |
In essence, business slang, jargon, acronyms and abbreviations are powerful tools that, when used effectively, enhance proficient communications, streamline processes and strengthen professional relationships.
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Answer key:
Exercise 1: Jargon
| Phrase | Definition | ||
| 1 | Touch base | A | Get in contact or update someone. |
| 2 | Leverage | B | Use something to maximum advantage. |
| 3 | On the same page | C | Everyone understanding and agreeing to something. |
| 4 | Win-win | D | A situation beneficial to all parties involved. |
| 5 | In the pipeline | E | Upcoming projects/deals in progress. |
| 6 | Drill down | F | Focus on a specific aspect of a larger topic. |
| 7 | Game changer | G | An innovation/event that significantly alters a plan or situation. |
| 8 | Key takeaway | H | The most important piece of information to remember. |
| 9 | Blue sky thinking | I | Creative thinking beyond current beliefs/practices |
| 10 | Buy-in | J | Agreement and support for a plan/idea. |
Exercise 2: Acronyms
I’m the CEO of a large company and my wife handles the cash so she is the CFO of our very successful business. My wife drives the kids to school so her ETA at work is later than mine. However, at the EOD we leave work together. We generally go on holiday in Q1, it is PTO, so we hire a PTE to run the business, and make sure to set the OOO on our emails and redirect them to the new POC.