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From: Margie Fleming Glennon
Subject: 10 Words and Phrases to Avoid
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My colleague Alex Daniels recently explored the use of jargon by people working at foundations and charities and examined how the words often confuse those outside of the nonprofit world.
We often adopt language we hear from others without understanding its meaning or proper context, explains Jara Dean-Coffey, director of the Equitable Evaluation Initiative, an organization working to change the way foundations measure the results of their grants.
Words and phrases are overused, and their meaning gets muddy over time Dean-Coffey explains. “We often choose words that do us a disservice,” she says.
“At best, they actually don’t mean what we intend. And at worst, we don’t even know what we’re talking about,” Alex writes.
From “asset mapping” to “concretize” to “leverage” and “socialize,” examples of jargon abound. And as Alex notes, “they may alienate or confuse more than inspire.”
To learn the true definitions of these often cryptic words and phrases — and know which words to avoid in the future — read 10 Words and Phrases You Should Never Use.
Here are a few other articles from our archives that can help clarify communications:
Have a good week,
Margie Fleming Glennon
Senior Director, Nonprofit Intelligence
Tip of the Week
To streamline your donor relations, try automating some communications. Determine what kind of experience you want donors to have, regardless of their giving levels, and automate what you can. For instance, set up triggers for emails to go out at certain times, such as a couple of weeks after someone makes a donation or takes an action. But make sure to personalize these communications and test them on yourself first, says Marc Pitman, founder of the Concord Leadership Group. Read more at How to Thank Donors – and Bring Them Closer to Your Cause.
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