I have become overly sensitive to the words people use and the meanings attached to them. My clients now know that there are certain words that I affectionately refer to as weasel words. Initially, Stewart Chaplin, Stained Glass Political Platform (1900), quoted the phrase- Weasel words are words that suck all the life out of the words next to them, just as a weasel sucks out the yoke of an egg and leaving an empty shell. People use weasel words to enhance the word meanings, but actually give a false impression. So when I hear someone say, "I want to be a better manager or better husband, father or mother, or I’ll be better", - I wonder what better means and if better is good enough.

I would not want to leave you with the impression the better is a bad word or that it is the only weasel word used. Weasel words do have a proper context, for example if we say "that’s better," we hear it as a form of measurement. Actually, my definition of better is a minuet improvement in a positive direction. Nevertheless, if we use better in a context of what to do – it is a weasel word. Because there is no way to assure that better is acceptable or adequate or sufficient. In using the word better as a phase relating to what we want to become – please consider it as looking for the easy way to imply something may be different, otherwise, we would be very specific in our actions and outcomes. Listen to the words you use and think about the message they leave in the minds of your listener. If it sounds goods because of puffery then you may be using weasel words. Weasel words sound great, but really have little specific meaning and provide a poor measurement of change.

Some other weasel words that we hear: More – minuet increase in quantity, often not sufficient or adequate. Try – some effort of willingness, but nowhere near what is acceptable to avoid failure. Hope – Something we want to have, be or do without anymore work.

If you want to change/improve – I suggest you use these words in their proper context and do not accept them when other people use them without clarifying their meaning to you. When I hear a weasel word, it rings like a big gong in my ears. I hear the weakness of the communicator.

Oh! If you want to have some fun - listen to politician and count the number of their weasel words. My favorite weasel phase from a politician is "I’m thinking about trying that." Another common weasel phase from parents is "We’ll see."

If you have your favorite weasel words or weasel phrases please email them to me, with your definition, so I can add them to a future article. My email address is WMaloney@StrategicTalentManagement.com


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