If You Want To Get Ahead, You Have To Learn Their Language

Everything’s a peacock feather. 

Or, as Rory Sutherland says, “A flower is just a weed with a marketing budget.” 

The bigger the corporate ladder, the fancier the terms. If you want to climb it, learn the terms and learn what they really mean. 

Likewise, if you want to climb any ladder, figure out the words the people already high up on the ladder use first. Then, work out what they’re actually talking about second. Assume what they call things is some form of fancy jargon (because it is).  

You can’t tell me a single mom who’s working and getting two kids to work/school/activities isn’t, “an experienced product manager who knows how to build a unified team culture that delivers results.” 

Tell me what you’re doing, tell me what you’d like to be doing, and I’ll write your bio. Seriously, reply to this message and I’ll do it. 

Their jargon isn’t a barrier, it’s a puzzle you can solve to unlock a pathway.