There's a Lot of Talk
How does hearing “outside of the box thinking” make you feel: hopeful, empty, like you’re running with the wrong crowd, or interested? For us, it can be any of those things, but mostly, we feel skeptical. Unfortunately, now hackneyed, this wonderful concept has gone the way of “value-added,” “data-driven,” “it’s all about the brand,” and any other overused hustle culture blah blah you might hear in a Silicon Valley coffee shop or SF bistro.
Yoda often stresses the importance of doing the necessary work and not just talking about it. It’s safe to say that hearing any form of modern tech or corporate chatter would motivate Yoda to roll his eyes and dispense some of his practical and timeless wisdom.
“Do or do not. There is no talk.” ~Yoda (sort of)
Thinking outside the box, using data effectively, and leveraging knowledge and assets to improve our output should be normal. Isn’t it what most of us are hired to do? We feel that it should be expected, or at least hoped for. Living up to the expectation isn’t always easy, and it can be a very conscious effort, but learn we will.
There Shouldn’t be Anything to Hide
Using jargon isn’t always bad. Sometimes it’s necessary, and we’re not advocating that people quit cold turkey. We’re only concerned when cliches are used to veil laziness, ignorance, or what someone really wants to say but they don’t know how to say it.
Avoiding the Blah Blah in our private lives is easy because we can just move on, ignore it, or if it’s our kids, you can punish them. When it’s pervasive in people and organizations that we work in/with, the matter becomes more complex. Professional relationships and our jobs must be considered.
Most of us know when someone is full of @#$%), no matter how it’s disguised
Most of the time, hiding behind meaningless chatter has little impact and may only cause one’s eyes to roll. Unfortunately, when people in leadership or in positions of influence hide behind it, the negative effects can be insidious and impactful. Typically, meetings are dreaded, involuntary facial contortions occur, and people are avoided. In the worst cases, projects are upended, early-stage companies lose investment opportunities, employees become intolerably frustrated, and companies lose their direction.
Is a Reboot Possible?
Is a world without the blah blah possible? Is it practical to push this nirvana on anyone? We don’t think so.
“It takes strength to resist the dark side…” – Obi-Wan Kenobi
Imagine this scenario. We were in a meeting, and someone in leadership said that we were all “Change Agents.” Of course, we were skeptical, but instead of spitting out the current sip of coffee, one of us asked, “I’m sure it’s because I’m new, but I have to ask, what exactly is a Change Agent?” We were willing to risk that our sarcasm would be felt, but was it worth it? Do we change anything by calling someone out on their veil of hyperbole?
Conclusion
The bright side is that if you do think in the abstract and are analytical, diligent, and clever, the world will know it. Also, you will likely keep your job or get a better one because the Jedi Mindset is strong in you.
If you feel compelled to lean into hustle culture, because sometimes you have to, a measured approach is a solid tactic. You could even apologize preemptively as an additional strategy. What’s more charming than someone who is cheeky, thoughtful, and speaks well?
Lastly, please forgive us if we said anything that sounds remotely like hustle culture; we only did it because we absolutely had to.