Want to Sound Smart? Stop Saying ‘Innovation.’

“Innovation” has become one of the most overused words in business. We say innovation is a priority, that it drives growth, that we need a culture of innovation—but rarely explain what we actually mean. The better approach is to replace vague language with concrete outcomes: new revenue streams, new products, new customers, higher margins, new business models. The point isn’t to stop using the word innovation altogether. It’s to stop using it as a substitute for saying what we actually want to achieve.