The Buzzword Shaman is the person in the organization who speaks fluently in corporate language. Every sentence contains at least one buzzword. Every presentation is a masterclass in strategic alignment, ecosystem thinking, and transformational leadership. They appear to understand what they are saying. Whether they do is a matter of ongoing debate.
Identifying characteristics
- Uses "leverage" as a verb in every meeting
- Has never used the word "use" when "leverage" was available
- Describes every project as "transformational" regardless of scope
- Can speak for five minutes on a topic without making a single specific claim
- Is frequently described as "strategic" by people who are not sure what that means in this context
- Their presentations contain more buzzwords than data
The two types
The True Believer: The Buzzword Shaman who genuinely believes that corporate language is the most precise way to communicate. They have internalized the vocabulary so completely that they no longer notice they are using it. When asked to explain what they mean in plain language, they produce more corporate language.
The Strategic User: The Buzzword Shaman who uses corporate language deliberately, because they have learned that it is rewarded in their organization. They can speak plainly when required. They choose not to in professional contexts because the buzzwords signal sophistication and seniority.
How to work with them
Ask for specifics. "What does that mean in practice?" is the most useful question you can ask a Buzzword Shaman. The answer will either reveal genuine substance beneath the language, or reveal that the language was the substance.
Neither answer is wrong. Both are useful.
The observation: The Buzzword Shaman is not a villain. They are a product of an organizational culture that rewards certain kinds of language. The culture is the cause. The Shaman is the symptom.