By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Every new generation uses unique terms that may or may not be familiar to their leaders. Consider the following story from a nurse manager:
Several months ago, several of my new nurses told me that I was “brat’. I don’t have kids, and initially, the word brat seemed derogatory to me, but they assured me that this was a huge compliment.
This nurse leader is not alone in learning to adapt to a new vocabulary. Since communication between generations is more critical than ever, TollFreeForwarding.com has created a TikTok Slang Dictionary to bridge the generation gap and hopefully improve workplace communication. In case you’re having trouble understanding your Gen Z staff, here are 10 of the most used phrases from their dictionary:
- Very Demure: A person or action seen as “not too much,” soft, cute, and mindful.
- Brat: Compliment towards a person or action emulating confident rebellion, playful defiance, and boldness.
- Aura Points: A way to measure how cool someone is. Each action a person does can increase or decrease the points based on what friends or colleagues think.
- Slay: A compliment used to describe an excellent job or action.
- Rizz: Short for charisma. Exceedingly charming and can easily woo someone.
- Cap: A statement that is a lie. No cap means “I’m not lying.”
- Ate/Eats: A compliment used to describe an action done impressively.
- Bet: An expression used for affirming a statement or agreeing to something, a confirmation.
- Yap: To speak for a long time. A person who is chatty or talks nonsensical—a “yapper.”
- Ick: A characteristic of someone that is an immediate turnoff.
Language like so many other things in the workplace evolves over time. Staying abreast of these changes is an important part of improving your leadership communication.
© emergingrnleader.com 2024
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