Today a Leadership lesson at two levels around the use of Idioms.
Level One: Leaders, avoid USING clichéd idioms.
Cliché :
“a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.”
Idiom:
“a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words”
“a form of expression natural to a language, person, or group of people.”
Level Two: Leaders, avoid BEING clichéd and losing your “idios”.
Level one feels easy, yes? Level two though? What is Tom talking about?
First, if we look at the definitions above, we can see that there are two elements to both cliches and idioms, both the frequency of use of the phrase or words, but also the originality of them and their origin.
In short, be original, be yourself.
Looking into the Greek roots of the word idiom, we can see that at a core part of being idiomatic rather than cliched is in being distinct, unique, set apart.
“Greek idioma “peculiarity, peculiar phraseology” (Fowler writes that “A manifestation of the peculiar” is “the closest possible translation of the Greek word”), from idioumai “to appropriate to oneself,” from idios “personal, private,” properly “particular to oneself.“
So, from this, be unique and you are already idiomatic, you don’t have to run around peppering idioms in the form of phrases, you can represent yourself uniquely in different ways. You retain your “idios”.
My favourite idiom of all time may not look like one on the surface, but if you heard this in tandem with meeting and being with the originator of this (Ed Percival, my late guide and mentor), the phrase #BeMoreYou was at many levels, a true idiom and true to the source.
In Leadership, we seek to follow those whose unique traits, characteristics, essence shine out from them in how they show up, their very being, as well as what they say and what they do.
So, avoid USING cliched idioms, and, at the next level, avoid being cliched and losing your idios.
#BeMoreYou