Episode Overview
How American sports metaphors in corporate communication create barriers for global teams and non-native English speakers.
Key Topics Discussed
The Problem with Corporate Sports Speak
Common phrases like "circle back," "coming out of left field," "tackle the big rocks"
Why these metaphors exclude rather than clarify
Cultural assumptions embedded in business language
Real-World Impact
Personal experience: Native English speaker struggling to teach business metaphors
Dual translation burden for non-native speakers
How sports fluency becomes an informal marker of cultural fit
Viral Challenge to the Status Quo
Ari Kraemer's TikTok experiment replacing sports metaphors with makeup terminology
3+ million views highlighting gendered language in business
Community-generated alternatives like "we're aiming for a natural glow, not a full beat"
The Global Disconnect
Companies claiming international reach while defaulting to American athletics
Gap between stated diversity values and daily communication practices
Sociolinguistic barriers to inclusive workplaces
Actionable Takeaways
For Native Speakers:
Choose direct language over metaphorical flourishes with global colleagues
Replace "hit a home run" with "achieve excellent results"
Explain cultural references when they arise naturally
For Organisations:
Diversify metaphor sources beyond sports and war terminology
Prioritise clarity over cleverness in written communications
Use simple sentence structures to improve comprehension across language barriers
For Everyone:
Recognise that confusion about sports metaphors reflects cultural barriers, not linguistic deficiencies
Understand that even native speakers may struggle with these references
Focus on inclusive language that serves rather than hinders understanding
Key Quote
"Can a company truly call itself global when its speech acts and community discourse centre entirely around American athletics?"
Episode Takeaway
Clear, direct communication benefits everyone. It's time to move beyond comfortable cultural references toward language choices that welcome all voices to the corporate conversation.
