Get Bingo Buzz at the Workplace
Buzzword Bingo is a game that has a similar set of rules to that of American Bingo and "housie", and is played in some rather laid-back corporate and organization meetings and events. The difference between this variant of the Bingo game is the fact that the players will use a set of words or "buzzwords" instead of the usual number matrix found in most games of bingo.
The game is usually played at the office or at the workplace wherein the players are usually the employees who, upon hearing any "buzzwords" mentioned in the meeting, will cross out that particular word from their card. Like the original bingo game, the victor is the person who is able to cross out a full line and calls out the word, "Bingo!" before any of his other team mates or office mates do. This game requires a bit more guts than the original bingo game because it is rather unnerving for an employee to yell the word "Bingo!" in front of his fellow colleagues and in front of his boss who is most likely giving out discussions in that particular meeting. Of course, the buzzwords are more likely to be said by the boss himself, so having the nerve to play the game amidst an ongoing meeting can be rather difficult don't you think?
Many people who hold managerial positions in a company or organization may tend to use "buzzwords" as a means to sound more intellectual. Even Al Gore, the former American Vice President, has been known to use a number of buzzwords during his many speeches. Words such as "customer-focused", "smartsize", "cutting edge", "optimization", "paradigm", "mission focused", "win-win", "core competency", and "principle-centered" are commonly used buzzwords. Words like these are written down by fellow employees who then make a buzzword card which they use to play Buzzword Bingo during presentations, meetings, and workshops. The game can be played during any event at work that has a more relaxed atmosphere. Playing the game can lighten the aura of one's workplace for a change!
So how does a manager use this game to increase his management potential? One can only be an effective manager if his employees pay attention to what he says during meetings, and this can be magnified with the help of Buzzword Bingo. A manager can make use of Buzzword Bingo to his advantage by helping him communicate better with his employees. In playing the game, he shows that he does not take himself too seriously, and that he can easily level with his work force. Also, he, as a manager, can try to avoid such ambiguous buzzwords that may sound nice to hear, as one may think that the use of such words may make a person sound clever, but in fact, he most likely cannot be understood by his fellow employees. Using less of the ambiguous words that can be found in buzzword cards will help a person communicate better as a manager and discuss the thoughts he would like to convey plainly and more directly.
So why don't you give this game a try in one of your meetings? Avoid uttering the buzzwords and improve your management skills by saying things more concisely and direct to the point!