ACRONYMS: The Hidden Value They Can Bring, If Used Well
If you ask me, acronyms are a little like brussel-sprouts.
They get a bad wrap, but it’s all in the way you prepare them.
You know what I mean here?
Boil a brussel sprout and they’re bitter….. But roast them (and add something like bacon pieces or chili) and they can be delish!
To me it’s the same with acronyms.
I personally never rated them.
In fact I’d go so far as to say that I used to think of them in a bad light (e.g. because of acronym overload in the corporate world).
But I was recently reminded they can in fact be an incredibly useful tool.
So I thought i’d explore the different types of acronyms that I believe exist. wanted to share this story and my renewed way of thinking of acronyms.
To help you understand how to use them well.
Let me intro what I believe are 4 different ways to prepare an acronym. Ordered from least effective (i.e. boiling) to most effective (i.e. roasting)!
OPTION #1 – EACH LETTER IS PRONOUNCED SEPARATELY
E.g.
- CEO = Chief Executive Officer
- FYI = For Your Information
- iOS = iPhone Operating System
But, this is smack bang in ‘boiling brussel sprout’ territory.
Whilst it would be easier to remember a 3-Pronged solution as an acronym (than simply trying to remember the 3 parts to the solution), I would definitely opt for Option #3 or Option #4 as per below, as these take the stickiness to a whole new level.
Note: Technically, these ones that are read out word-by-word are actually called ‘initialisms’.
OPTION #2 – IT’S PRONOUNCED AS A WORD
E.g.
- LOL = Laugh Out Loud
- RACI = Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Involved
- WAN = Wide Area Network
This is still in the boiling preparation territory. Perphaps you’ve sprinkled chilli and olive oil on them. But they’re still bitter.
As per my comments for Option #1, whilst these types of acronyms are better than no acronym, I would always recommend you try and land a version of Option 3 or 4 if you can.
OPTION #3 – IT’S A WORD THAT RELATES IN CONTEXT
E.g.
- BASIC = Beginner’s All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code [Coding Language]
- GROW = Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward [Coaching Framework]
- ICARE = Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence [Company Values]
The only way I remembered the Values of the organisation I worked for was that it was an acronym.
Not only was it an acronym, but it made a relatable word (ICARE).
I have to say, that acronym saved me many a time.
When it was time for me to remember the values, I could easily remember the acronym. Then that would help me flesh out what each of the values had to be.
Without that, I would have had to go back to something written down.
NOTE: Technically, these types of acronyms (Where the letters spell a word meaningful in the context of the term it stands for) are called ‘apronyms’.
OPTION #4 – IT MAKES A WORD THAT’S A THING / OBJECT
E.g.
- GOAT = Greatest Of All Time
- PEAK = Prepare, Execute, and Act with Knowledge
- CAT = Cost Centre, Amount, Timing
Back to one of my client’s use of an acronym and what fuelled this rebrand in my eyes.
It was the final showcase in my Powerful Presenter Group Program.
This client was presenting her 5min talk and her solution had 3 components. She crafted it so that when she took the first letter of each word it spelt out the word CAT.
She used this to her advantage and even had images of cats on her slides.
It was highly effective and everyone mentioned how it was one of the most memorable talks of the Showcase. At a 3-Month post program catchup, it was also STILL on people’s minds!
That’s incredibly powerful.
Because (and I say this ALL the time):
If people can’t remember your solution / idea, it’s not going to be useful to them later.
People need to have that information handy in their minds to reference it. They also need it handy so they can cascade your message to others.
The reason this last option works so well is that they’re highly visual.
IN SUMMARY
Next time you want people to remember a solution that has multiple parts / steps, consider – the humble acronym.
AKA the brussel sprout of the communication world.
But – don’t forget to roast them!
i.e. See if you can make it a word that either relates to the meaning of what you’re abbreviating (e.g. BASIC) or represents a person/thing/object (e.g. CAT).
This will make it far more of a crowd pleaser!
Emily
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