Stop talking about your strategy
I saw a post this week that stuck with me.
“Don’t say ‘strategy.’ Say ‘the way we’re going to win.'”
It’s a simple reframe. But it captures something I see in almost every client engagement.
Leaders use business jargon that sounds strategic but means nothing to the people who need to execute.
They say “strategy” when they mean “how we’ll win.”
They say “positioning” when they mean “what we’re competing against.”
They say “vision” when they mean “what we want to happen.”
The words sound professional.
But they create distance between leadership and execution.
So today, I’m going to show you the 3 types of jargon killing your clarity, and how to replace them with language that actually drives action.
Let’s dive in.
1. Replace strategic jargon with clear direction.
Most strategy conversations sound like this:
“We need to align on our strategic positioning and cascade our vision across the organization.”
What does that actually mean?
Here’s the translation: “We need to agree on what makes us different and make sure everyone knows where we’re headed.”
But most teams hear the first version and nod along without really understanding what they’re supposed to do.
Here’s what to say instead:
Don’t say “strategy.” Say “the way we’re going to win.”
Don’t say “positioning.” Say “what we’re comparing ourselves to.”
Don’t say “vision.” Say “what we want to happen.”
The pattern: jargon sounds strategic but creates confusion. Clear language drives action.
When you replace business buzzwords with plain language, two things happen:
Your team understands what you actually mean. And they can start executing immediately instead of translating your words into actionable steps.
2. Replace operational jargon with concrete processes.
Strategic jargon isn’t the only problem.
Operational language can be just as vague:
“We need to optimize our workflows and leverage synergies across functions.”
Translation: “We need to fix the handoffs between teams and stop duplicating work.”
But when you use words like “optimize” and “leverage,” people hear corporate-speak, not instructions.
Here’s what to say instead:
Don’t say “optimize processes.”
Say “fix the bottlenecks slowing us down.”
Don’t say “leverage synergies.”
Say “stop doing the same work twice.”
Don’t say “increase bandwidth.”
Say “free up time by removing tasks.”
Don’t say “enhance collaboration.”
Say “make sure teams actually talk to each other.”
The clearer your language, the faster your team can act.
Vague operational terms sound professional but create no urgency. Concrete language identifies the actual problem that needs solving.
3. Replace leadership jargon with honest expectations.
Leadership language might be the worst offender.
“We need to empower our people and drive accountability across the organization.”
What does that mean in practice?
Here’s the reality: “We need to give people authority to make decisions and make sure they follow through.”
But “empower” and “drive accountability” are so overused they’ve lost meaning.
Here’s what to say instead:
Don’t say “empower your team.”
Say “let them make decisions without checking with you first.”
Don’t say “drive accountability.”
Say “make sure people do what they commit to doing.”
Don’t say “build alignment.”
Say “get everyone working toward the same goal.”
Don’t say “foster transparency.”
Say “share information so people know what’s happening.”
The difference: jargon sounds like leadership. Clear language creates it.
Here’s what I’ve learned after working with 35+ companies:
The businesses that execute fastest don’t use better jargon. They use clearer words.
They say what they mean. They eliminate translation steps. They make it easy for their teams to understand and act.
This isn’t about dumbing things down. It’s about respecting your team’s time enough to communicate clearly.
Don’t say things people need to translate. Just say what you mean.
Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways we can help…
1. Strategy & Growth Blueprint: Market-grounded insights + an annual plan + a 90-day execution board your team owns.
2. Operations & Tech Reset: We map bottlenecks, design future-state processes, and build a phased tech roadmap ready to launch.
3. Manager+ Accelerator: We build core skills in delegation, feedback, goal-setting, and shape leaders who drive execution.
