Traditionally, our preferred mode of communication has been fig-
ures: a simple balance sheet, after all, requires no translation. Like
any language in use for thousands of years, the use of figures in
business has evolved to a high level of sophistication, as a glance at
any set of accounting standards shows.

But figures only get us so far. Look at the international financial
services company which judged its national subsidiaries in terms of
year-on-year profits and thus gave them no chance to make short-
term sacrifices to achieve longer-term goals. Look at the retailer
whose store managers were measured by their capacity to minimise
stock loss and who therefore had no incentive to exploit local
opportunities to increase sales. More and more companies are finding
that some of their most important assets — people, knowledge,
commitment — are non-quantifiable. And they are realising that, if
they cannot express these assets in terms of figures, then they cannot
use financial metrics to manage them. It is therefore not surprising
that they are turning to something other than figures to fill the gap —
words: mission statements, commitments to quality, customer char-
ters, corporate advertising — the list is growing exponentially.

And it is not just the importance of words which is changing, so
too are the words we use. Charles Handy noted this when he
described the way in which organisations will need to change to meet
the challenges of an uncertain environment:

The softer words of leadership and vision and common purpose
will replace the tougher words of control and authority because the
tough words won't bite any more. ²

But this cultural shift presents us with several problems. Western
business — and anglophone businesses in particular — has always been
very 'anti-language'. It is a prejudice which is frequently disguised as
an appeal for straight-talking, plain English and the eradication of
technical jargon, but its implications are more far-reaching and
profound. We distrust people who are too good with words: hence
the comparably low public opinion of politicians and advertising
agencies. New words, glib words appear to be without substance:

Consider the substance of the case in favour of embracing empow-
erment. It is put most vocally by that breed of business evangelists

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