Three cliches I could live without ever hearing again
1. We’ve got to think Outside The Box.
2. There are no new ideas.
3. This is radio, not brain surgery.
1. I don’t know where this box is or how someone got inside it, but I’m pretty sure that anyone who routinely preaches the importance of “thinking outside the box” is likely to be a model of conformity and “in the box” thinking.
2. People who insist there are no ideas really are saying, “I don’t think I have the ability come up with a new idea. Therefore, no one is able to generate a new idea.”
3. In the early ’90s I conducted an Air Personality Plus+ seminar in Hawaii. (I know, it’s a tough life.)
In the meeting room adjacent to us was some sort of conference. A sign outside the room featured a very long, scientific-sounding word I’d never heard of.
Curious, during one of our seminar breaks I asked the person at the registration desk what that word meant.
“Brain surgery. This is a conference for brain surgeons.”
Okay, doctors going to medical conferences in Hawaii; no big surprise.
I went back to our meeting room to resume the seminar, and then it hit me.
I took the wireless microphone, exited our meeting room, marched right into the other conference room and loudly proclaimed, “Hey, this isn’t radio, you know. It’s just brain surgery!”
It was one of my prouder moments.
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It’s the all over the radio, and every TV show or channel I turn to, and most likely in every business conference room in the U.S. This phrase is the new cliche and soooo over.. “LET’S DO THIS!
A former manager used to always explain everything we did that seemed idiotic as “well, that’s radio.” After hearing this so many times, I finally replied “yes, it is–BAD radio.”
You’re right about number one, Dan. Most “outside-the-box” thinkers actually think inside a different box, and it’s usually pretty small.
for that procrastinator in denial
” I need this yesterday”
Not exactly a cliche – but I hate to hear jocks saying “of course”
“That’s Elvis Presley, of course…”
“we’ll have more on this after the news of course…”
The phrase “of course” means that what you’ve just said is self evident. If it’s self evident then why say it?
(only my opinion of course…)
What box??? HA!
and right now, currently on the outside…..