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Do You Take Business Speak for Granted? You Should Not as a Trainer.
Do you find yourself using business speak to make yourself sound smarter or more in the know? When you say a phrase such as “out of pocket” or “thought leader” or “tycoon,” do you know where it comes from? Communicating well is a key part of training and learning and development. Understanding the origin of common words and phrases can help you communicate better, sound more in the know, and become a better presenter. Join Bob Wiltfong and Tim Ito, co-authors of The BS Dictionary: Uncovering the Origins and True Meanings of Business Speak, for a lively discussion about communication in virtual and in-person business settings. You will also have a chance to share your experiences and ask questions of Wiltfong (a presenter and Emmy-winning journalist) and Ito (a digital marketing and content leader and former vice president of content at ATD).
 

ATD Book Talk - Bob Wiltfong and Tim Ito on The BS Dictionary: Uncovering the True Meanings of Business Speak

Bob Wiltfong is a public relations expert, content specialist, and coach. An Emmy- and Peabody-award-winning storyteller, he has expertise in journalism, video production, and on-camera hosting and performing. Bob resides in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

Bob Wiltfong

Bob Wiltfong and Tim Ito discuss the ATD book, The BS Dictionary.

Q & A With Authors of The BS Dictionary

Do you yearn for a book to disambiguate words and phrases commonly used in business settings, your workplace, and in life in general? Do you wish the kimono would open on idioms and clichés that stretch the bandwidth of understanding and make you wonder if your career is scalable? What are you really saying when you go against the grain and are aboveboard? What do you hear when your colleague wants face time or to move the needle? The BS Dictionary: Uncovering the Origins and True Meanings of Business Speak provides the real-world definitions to about 300 of the world's most commonly-used business terms and gives you the origin story (who coined the term? when did it start to be used figuratively in the business world?) for each one. Get the language clarity you need and have fun learning the full etymology of favorite phrases. Read humorous commentary about how phrases might be misused or misunderstood. If you are interested in language, business speak, writing, and trivia knowledge, this book is for you! Get The BS Dictionary and impress your friends with your newfound wealth of phrases and their history. About the Authors: Bob Wiltfong is a former correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Emmy award winning journalist. His love for BS was fostered through 20+ years of working as a consultant in presentation skills for several Fortune 500 companies including T-Mobile, General Electric and Charles Schwab. He often confirms trending BS terms with his CMO wife and is reminded that he has a lot more to learn from his three kids. Tim Ito is a former reporter at US News & World Report as well as Senior Editor at The Washington Post. His passion for BS grew as an adjunct professor of content and marketing at Georgetown University as well as serving as VP of content and marketing at the Association for Talent Development (ATD). Tim keeps up to date on the latest BS in his current role as VP of Marketing at the Washington Speakers Bureau. His wife and two kids can vouch for the fact that he is full of BS. Check Us Out: The Site: https://www.thebsdictionary.com/ The Book: https://www.td.org/product/book--the-bs-dictionary/112010.

The BS Dictionary: The Man on the Street

Do you have a manager who gives everyone nicknames and loves to get everyone pumped up? One thinks the every idea is the best idea ever? This can be avoided. https://www.td.org/accel In late 2015, ATD Research conducted a short survey of nearly 300 talent development leaders (managers and above) to identify the top skills most associated with successful frontline managers. The ACCEL skills were selected for inclusion in the framework because they had the highest percentage of participants indicating that each contributed to success in managing others to a high or very high extent. In fact, 83 percent of participants said that communication is the skill most related to success as a manager, followed by engagement (76 percent), listening and assessing (71 percent), accountability (70 percent), and collaboration (69 percent). In early 2016, ATD Research surveyed 847 talent development professionals about the ACCEL skills of managers in their organization. This group was different from the group of talent development leaders that was surveyed to establish the ACCEL framework. All data in the rest of this report are based on this sample’s responses. Nearly half of the participants indicated that they had more than 15 years of experience in the talent development field. Moreover, 30 percent of respondents identified themselves as senior leaders within their organization (executives and directors), and 40 percent were managers, supervisors, and team leaders. The Definitions: Accountability skills refer to performance management and the delegation of responsibility to direct reports. Managers who are adept at creating a culture of accountability encourage team members to be accountable for self-development and meeting their own development goals. Collaboration is defined as creating an environment and culture of teamwork (in this case, the team comprises the manager and direct reports). Managers who excel in this skill foster trust and relationships between all team members, clarify team roles, and encourage cooperation toward achieving a common goal (OPM 1997). By encouraging trust and relationship building between team members, direct reports can share knowledge with and learn from one another. Communication is defined as the exchange of information and feedback between managers and their direct reports. Communication also involves a willingness to engage in three types of conversations with employees: disciplinary, coaching, and praise. Managers who are adept at communication foster a transparent, open, and honest team atmosphere. At the individual level, effective communication—including targeted, actionable feedback—can build awareness and action toward better employee performance. Engagement is defined as motivating, inspiring, and involving one’s direct reports. Engaged employees understand their specific role and its importance. By engaging team members, managers will have direct reports who are psychologically committed to their work and who make positive contributions to their own development and the company (Crabtree 2013). Listening and assessing involves the information-gathering, critical-thinking, and processing skills of a manager during interactions with direct reports. Listening and assessing also encompasses emotional intelligence, which entails recognizing one’s own and others’ emotions and using emotional information to guide one’s behavior and assessments. Managers who are skilled at listening and assessing use these abilities to identify areas of strength and improvement in direct reports. Bob Wiltfong as "The Bad Manager": Bob is an American actor and comedian best known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show on Comedy Central, as well as appearances on Chappelle's Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Wiltfong was a true-life newscaster for 10 years, making him the first correspondent in Daily Show history to have worked as a traditional news reporter. Wiltfong has won 4 regional, individual Emmys for television performance and has been nominated for 14 others. He was part of The Daily Show's 2004 winning submission for the prestigious Peabody Award and was featured on the election year wrap up DVD put out by Comedy Central. He was a member of Neutrino, an improv comedy team in New York City. Additionally, Wiltfong has been featured in national commercials for AOL, Microsoft, Staples, Domino's Pizza and other corporate interests

Bad Manager: The Energizer

Do you have a manager who forgets what you talked about 5 seconds after your conversation? One who reminds you to do something that you already did? This can be avoided. https://www.td.org/accel In late 2015, ATD Research conducted a short survey of nearly 300 talent development leaders (managers and above) to identify the top skills most associated with successful frontline managers. The ACCEL skills were selected for inclusion in the framework because they had the highest percentage of participants indicating that each contributed to success in managing others to a high or very high extent. In fact, 83 percent of participants said that communication is the skill most related to success as a manager, followed by engagement (76 percent), listening and assessing (71 percent), accountability (70 percent), and collaboration (69 percent). In early 2016, ATD Research surveyed 847 talent development professionals about the ACCEL skills of managers in their organization. This group was different from the group of talent development leaders that was surveyed to establish the ACCEL framework. All data in the rest of this report are based on this sample’s responses. Nearly half of the participants indicated that they had more than 15 years of experience in the talent development field. Moreover, 30 percent of respondents identified themselves as senior leaders within their organization (executives and directors), and 40 percent were managers, supervisors, and team leaders. The Definitions: Accountability skills refer to performance management and the delegation of responsibility to direct reports. Managers who are adept at creating a culture of accountability encourage team members to be accountable for self-development and meeting their own development goals. Collaboration is defined as creating an environment and culture of teamwork (in this case, the team comprises the manager and direct reports). Managers who excel in this skill foster trust and relationships between all team members, clarify team roles, and encourage cooperation toward achieving a common goal (OPM 1997). By encouraging trust and relationship building between team members, direct reports can share knowledge with and learn from one another. Communication is defined as the exchange of information and feedback between managers and their direct reports. Communication also involves a willingness to engage in three types of conversations with employees: disciplinary, coaching, and praise. Managers who are adept at communication foster a transparent, open, and honest team atmosphere. At the individual level, effective communication—including targeted, actionable feedback—can build awareness and action toward better employee performance. Engagement is defined as motivating, inspiring, and involving one’s direct reports. Engaged employees understand their specific role and its importance. By engaging team members, managers will have direct reports who are psychologically committed to their work and who make positive contributions to their own development and the company (Crabtree 2013). Listening and assessing involves the information-gathering, critical-thinking, and processing skills of a manager during interactions with direct reports. Listening and assessing also encompasses emotional intelligence, which entails recognizing one’s own and others’ emotions and using emotional information to guide one’s behavior and assessments. Managers who are skilled at listening and assessing use these abilities to identify areas of strength and improvement in direct reports. Bob Wiltfong as "The Bad Manager": Bob is an American actor and comedian best known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show on Comedy Central, as well as appearances on Chappelle's Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Wiltfong was a true-life newscaster for 10 years, making him the first correspondent in Daily Show history to have worked as a traditional news reporter. Wiltfong has won 4 regional, individual Emmys for television performance and has been nominated for 14 others. He was part of The Daily Show's 2004 winning submission for the prestigious Peabody Award and was featured on the election year wrap up DVD put out by Comedy Central. He was a member of Neutrino, an improv comedy team in New York City. Additionally, Wiltfong has been featured in national commercials for AOL, Microsoft, Staples, Domino's Pizza and other corporate interests.

Bad Manager: The Amnesiac (Short Clip)

Do you have a manager who forgets what you talked about 5 seconds after your conversation? One who reminds you to do something that you already did? This can be avoided.https://www.td.org/accelIn late 2015, ATD Research conducted a short survey of nearly 300 talent development leaders (managers and above) to identify the top skills most associated with successful frontline managers. The ACCEL skills were selected for inclusion in the framework because they had the highest percentage of participants indicating that each contributed to success in managing others to a high or very high extent. In fact, 83 percent of participants said that communication is the skill most related to success as a manager, followed by engagement (76 percent), listening and assessing (71 percent), accountability (70 percent), and collaboration (69 percent). In early 2016, ATD Research surveyed 847 talent development professionals about the ACCEL skills of managers in their organization. This group was different from the group of talent development leaders that was surveyed to establish the ACCEL framework. All data in the rest of this report are based on this sample’s responses. Nearly half of the participants indicated that they had more than 15 years of experience in the talent development field. Moreover, 30 percent of respondents identified themselves as senior leaders within their organization (executives and directors), and 40 percent were managers, supervisors, and team leaders. The Definitions: Accountability skills refer to performance management and the delegation of responsibility to direct reports. Managers who are adept at creating a culture of accountability encourage team members to be accountable for self-development and meeting their own development goals. Collaboration is defined as creating an environment and culture of teamwork (in this case, the team comprises the manager and direct reports). Managers who excel in this skill foster trust and relationships between all team members, clarify team roles, and encourage cooperation toward achieving a common goal (OPM 1997). By encouraging trust and relationship building between team members, direct reports can share knowledge with and learn from one another. Communication is defined as the exchange of information and feedback between managers and their direct reports. Communication also involves a willingness to engage in three types of conversations with employees: disciplinary, coaching, and praise. Managers who are adept at communication foster a transparent, open, and honest team atmosphere. At the individual level, effective communication—including targeted, actionable feedback—can build awareness and action toward better employee performance. Engagement is defined as motivating, inspiring, and involving one’s direct reports. Engaged employees understand their specific role and its importance. By engaging team members, managers will have direct reports who are psychologically committed to their work and who make positive contributions to their own development and the company (Crabtree 2013). Listening and assessing involves the information-gathering, critical-thinking, and processing skills of a manager during interactions with direct reports. Listening and assessing also encompasses emotional intelligence, which entails recognizing one’s own and others’ emotions and using emotional information to guide one’s behavior and assessments. Managers who are skilled at listening and assessing use these abilities to identify areas of strength and improvement in direct reports.Bob Wiltfong as "The Bad Manager": Bob is an American actor and comedian best known for his work as a correspondent on The Daily Show on Comedy Central, as well as appearances on Chappelle's Show and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Wiltfong was a true-life newscaster for 10 years, making him the first correspondent in Daily Show history to have worked as a traditional news reporter. Wiltfong has won 4 regional, individual Emmys for television performance and has been nominated for 14 others. He was part of The Daily Show's 2004 winning submission for the prestigious Peabody Award and was featured on the election year wrap up DVD put out by Comedy Central. He was a member of Neutrino, an improv comedy team in New York City. Additionally, Wiltfong has been featured in national commercials for AOL, Microsoft, Staples, Domino's Pizza and other corporate interests.

Bad Manager: The Amnesiac

Tim Ito is the co-founder of three ventures: Marketing Nice Guys, a marketing training company, Clarendon Digital, a marketing consultancy, and Find My Marketer, a jobs and community site. Previous to those roles, he served as a vice president at the Association for Talent Development (ATD), overseeing the content and digital marketing division. His career has also included stints at ASCD, America Online, Netscape, and AltaVista in content, marketing and product strategy lead roles. Tim started his career as a journalist—first as a reporter and writer for U.S. News & World Report magazine and then as a senior producer for washingtonpost.com. He is the co-author of The B.S. Dictionary: Uncovering the Origins and True Meanings of Business Speak (April 2020), with Bob Wiltfong. Since 2015, he has also served as an adjunct professor of a popular digital marketing course at Georgetown University.

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