Office Lingo Decoder: A Fun Look at Expressions Heard Around the Office

At SDK, we take pride in clear communication, but we’re also not immune to the occasional “corporate-speak.” You know the phrases; the ones that sound polished in emails and meetings but don’t always mean exactly what they say.

So, in the spirit of transparency (and a little humor), here’s our take on the most common office phrases, decoded for real meaning.

“Let’s circle back.”

• What it sounds like: We’re keeping this on our radar.
• What it really means: We’re tabling this for now and hoping you forget about it… but we’ll bring it up again if necessary.

“That’s an interesting approach.”

• What it sounds like: We’re intrigued.
• What it really means: We’re not totally sold, but we’re trying to be polite.

“We’re looking at this from a high level.”

• What it sounds like: We have a strategic overview.
• What it really means: We haven’t gotten into the weeds yet (and we might not want to).

“Per my last email…”

• What it sounds like: Just referencing a prior message.
• What it really means: Please read. The. Email.

“Let’s take this offline.”

• What it sounds like: We’ll discuss it privately.
• What it really means: This is going off the rails — we’ll deal with it later.

“We’re bandwidth-constrained right now.”

• What it sounds like: We’re a little busy.
• What it really means: Our calendars look like a game of Tetris. We’re drowning. Send help (or coffee).

“We’ll need to loop in compliance.”

• What it sounds like: We’re being thorough.
• What it really means: This just got serious. Expect red tape.

“We’re in a discovery phase.”

• What it sounds like: We’re exploring possibilities.
• What it really means: We’re figuring this out as we go. There’s a spreadsheet somewhere, but it’s still a mess.

“Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”

• What it sounds like: Efficiency is key.
• What it really means: Please, for the love of Excel, check the shared drive — we’ve done this before.

“It’s a fluid situation.”

• What it sounds like: Things are evolving.
• What it really means: Chaos. It’s chaos.

“We’re cautiously optimistic.”

• What it sounds like: Things are looking up.
• What it really means: We’re not committing to anything in writing just yet.

“Can you take a first pass at this?”

• What it sounds like: Just get it started.
• What it really means: You’re doing the heavy lifting. We’ll “review” later.

At the end of the day (another favorite phrase), communication is everything, especially in a profession built on trust, accuracy, and collaboration. Whether we’re talking numbers, strategy, or audit prep, it’s important to say what we mean and mean what we say.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun with the language we use every day. So the next time you hear someone say, “Let’s circle back”, you’ll know exactly what they’re really saying, and you might even smile.

Looking for straight answers (and maybe a little humor) from your accounting team? That’s what we’re here for. Whether you need tax strategy, financial reporting, or just someone to decode financial jargon, we’re ready to help…no office lingo required!