The other day I was in a conversation with someone and referred to a difference between Project Management and Functional Management. She had a tell that lead me to ask if she knew the difference. She admitted she didn’t, and I explained it.

There is hazard in using words with which people may be unfamiliar. When communicating, you should gauge your audience. Using impressive words can make you sound intelligent, but too many can also make you sound pretentious. If you’re using words your colleagues can’t understand or introducing concepts with which they are unfamiliar, it can make them feel insecure, and they label you as a “buzzword dropping douche bag“.

Is it really a buzzword, or is it a shibboleth? The difference can be subtle. If the person talking is motor mouthing on talking KPIs, Synergy, Paradigms, or any other word or concept you don’t know and you’re having trouble following along, instead of rolling your eyes, labeling them as pretentious, and tuning them out- ask them to define the terms or explain the concepts they are referring to. You’re not going to be doing the organization any favors by living in ignorance.