Lost in Translation: Digesting the Alphabet Soup of Corporate Communication

Adopting new words and terms is part of the evolution of language. Just like foreign words and slang, abbreviations find their way into our everyday vocabulary and, eventually, the dictionary. And abbreviations, including initialisms and acronyms, are truly everywhere – a natural part of our daily written and spoken interaction with other people.

Some companies are even known primarily by their abbreviated name; some of them very famous. These entities generally fall into three main categories:

• The ones you perhaps know what stand for – like WHO, NASA, INTERPOL;
• The ones you probably do not know what stand for – H&M, BMW, KPMG;
• The ones you did not even know were abbreviations – Fiat, IKEA, LEGO.

The same categories apply to all other abbreviations, including those that we all use on a daily basis. Take for example ASAP, approx., DIY, or mr./mrs. which are some contractions you probably know what stand for.

On the other hand, you might not be aware of what the common terms RSVP, cc/bcc, or am/pm actually abbreviate, even though you probably use them frequently and fully understand their meaning.

Finally, few people know that radar, (Navy) SEALs, laser, and Pakistan (yes, the country) are abbreviations at all. These have become such an integrated part of our daily terminology that they have taken on meaning as “normal” words.

Business abbreviations can be grouped into the same categories as outlined above, but there is an important difference: While our everyday abbreviations are acknowledged and the same for everyone, the meaning of corporate abbreviations can to a larger extent differ from company to company, or even department to department. And they do. Big time.

I have visited three different clients in the past month that all used the abbreviation PM – but they all used it differently. In one case, PM meant Project Manager, which I personally found relatively natural. But in another company it meant Performance Manager. And in the third it meant Power Method. To make matters more confusing, I mentioned this to the company where PM means Performance Manager, and it turns out they also use it for Project Manager, although those two are different roles often held by different people.

Of course, depending on your profession, background, and mental state, PM can also mean Prime Minister if you are in the public sector, Physical Memory if you work with IT, Post Mortem if you are a doctor, or Paul McCartney if you are a Beatlemaniac. And probably 200 other things as well.

What about PR? You might immediately think Public Relations. Or Purchase Request. Or Project Review. Or Price Reduction. The list continues…

Now, you might argue that the meaning of abbreviations, as with non-abbreviated words, must be found and understood within the context. And I would agree: Comprehension undoubtedly hinges upon contextual nuances. But it is not entirely unproblematic to assume that they are able to correctly decrypt the linguistic enigmas you present to them.

A 2022 study of the understanding of health records showed that writing out in full otherwise abbreviated versions of commonly understood terms (such as hrs for hours or yo for years old) increased the readers’ comprehension from 62% to 95% [A]. Let that sink in. It’s a rather big leap in comprehension, from less than two thirds to almost everyone. It takes only a few seconds to write something out in full, but it might take minutes for the reader to decipher – if they even do decipher it correctly. Is it worth it?

The potential for miscommunication and the added time it takes to interpret a message are obvious problems, but there is more to it. Studies have shown that abbreviations affect receivers, who are not fully onboard with the meaning, on a deep psychological level.

The use of abbreviations “can confuse and alienate unfamiliar audiences, and even well-intentioned writers and speakers may overestimate an audience’s familiarity with abbreviations” [B]. Alienation should be alarming to all companies: “As the passage became less clear, participants reported not only more threat to their basic needs, but also […]less interest in joining the group” [B]. Definitely not what you would want your newly hired employees to feel.

Some abbreviations are common, and it is reasonable to expect that the receiver will be able to interpret your message without unnecessary delay or misunderstanding. However, how can you be sure? As Hales, Williams, and Rector write in their 2017 article for the Association for Psychological Science, communicators; “would be well-advised to strongly distrust their own intuitions about how familiar their audience is with the abbreviations” [B].

It is as it has always been with communication: the responsibility is initially on the sender to make oneself understandable. Simply put, effective communication is dependent on the receiver accurately grasping the sender’s intent.

One apparent reason for abbreviating is convenience and timesaving (for the sender!), in writing and sometimes in speech. However, as previously discussed, this rationale lacks strength when weighed against the potential consequences.

Utilizing abbreviations in one-to-one communication, such as text messages, can certainly be practical. Nevertheless, unless the sender is entirely confident that the recipient will interpret the abbreviations accurately, opting for full wordings remains the best way to ensure effective communication in daily interactions.

Another reason abbreviations are used should be found in the context of culture. Specifically, embracing and adopting corporate jargon can serve as a gateway to a particular culture.

Shared language plays a pivotal role in shaping the perceived identity of formal or informal collectives within and across departments and companies. It aids in building a sense of belonging or, conversely, alienation to something recognized as being unique. Accurately using corporate lingo increases our perceived importance and provides a sense of cohesiveness.

This is the case with the abbreviations (and slang) that are continuously (re)invented by the young generations – e.g. lol, bae, fomo, yolo (all typically used informally and written in lowercase letters) – but also with corporate lingo, where the contractions serve simultaneously as an includer and excluder, depending on whether you understand and use them correctly and belong to a culture in which it is acceptable to do so.

If you do not know what the abbreviations above stand for as you are reading this, there is no need to look it up; you are in any case excluded from the groups where it is acceptable to use them (i.e. you are probably too old).

Yes, common ones. But use with caution and only when you are sure the receiver will grasp their meaning immediately. When it comes to communicating with your family or friends, feel free to utilize abbreviations that are anchored in your internal communication culture. But let us eliminate the abbreviations that are used in a professional context for no sensible reason.

It is worth acknowledging that acronyms can play a valuable role in facilitating learning and resilience toward interruptions during procedural tasks. A 2019 study [C] demonstrated that employing mnemonic acronyms, which are pronounceable abbreviations designed to aid deliberate recollection, can enhance comprehension of a task and its associated steps. Examples of commonly used mnemonic acronyms in a business context include SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely), the GROW coaching model (Goal, Reality, Options, Will), or Prosci’s ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement).

Mnemonic techniques also work the other way around; a simple-to-recall sentence can assist in remembering an abbreviation which keeps track of the sequence of something. For instance, if you have ever played the guitar (or another string instrument) you likely encountered a mnemonic phrase to help you remember the name of each string in the proper order (for example “Easter Bunnies Get Dizzy At Easter”).

In conclusion, do employ mnemonic acronyms where they serve a clear purpose and offer substantial benefits. But for most other types of abbreviations, you and your company would be better off without them. If you are not sure how to get started on your abbreviation eliminating quest, simply find your most abbreviation wielding colleagues and tell them, with a healthy dose of irony, that they need to LEARN – that is, to Liberally Eliminate Abbreviations Right Now!

If you want to hear more about corporate communication – feel free to reach out or follow our LinkedIn for more interesting perspectives!