Every day in the workplace we hear clichés, which are common expressions that have been overused to the extent that they’ve lost their true meaning. Two clichés that are currently in common use are “at the end of the day” and “it is what it is.” A cliché is an overused idiom, i.e. an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meaning of its elements. One example of an idiom is “getting cold feet.”

When you hear someone using a cliché, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? You may think, “Perhaps the speaker does not have the adequate vocabulary to communicate their thoughts.” Don’t get me wrong, idioms can be helpful when you are attempting to explain things in simplified terms. However, when an idiom is overused, it can become a cliché.

In a business environment a cliché can undermine your credibility, especially if it’s frequently being used by others. A cliché can also make your speech sound canned or even flippant. Instead of setting you apart from others, a cliché can make you sound like everyone else. If you want to be noticed and have others remember what you say, consider avoiding some of the more popular clichés listed below. As a personal exercise, read the clichés listed below and think of another way to express the same idea. The next time you’re tempted to use one of these clichés, substitute your new phrase and notice how others pay greater attention to what you say.

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Whether you’re a football fan or not, you may be interested in knowing about a man whose success as a coach has made him legendary in the annals of football history. He knew how to get things done better than anyone else. Would you like to be better at, execution i.e. getting things done? If so, read on.

In his thirteen years as head coach at the University of Notre Dame, Knute Rockne, the Notre Dame football coach, and his teams compiled a record of 105 wins, 12 losses and 5 ties. He never held a secret practice. In fact, he would often invite the opposing coaches to attend his team’s workouts. His motto for winning should also be the motto for every organization that plays to win. Coach Rockne said, “It isn’t the plays that win, it’s the execution of the plays.”

Every organization, both profit and non-profit, has a variety of processes and systems, i.e. plays. But what lays a foundation for success is how these processes and systems are executed. There are a number of coffee shops across the nation, but Starbucks™ has cornered the market on selling coffee one cup at a time because they execute their process better than anyone else. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re selling the experience, not the coffee.

Whether you’re running an entire company, you’re in your first management job or you’re coaching a football team, if you want to know more about how to get the job done and deliver results, check out the classic book about Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.

For over 30 years, here are my own Five Key Principles for Execution, which are practiced every day at ReWorkMe

1. Focus on the basics
2. Pay attention to the facts
3. Work from your heart
4. Measure what you do
5. Reward yourself and others often

When it comes to financial investments, everyone is looking for a “sure thing.” An investment that continually returns more than you invest is considered to be a fantastic investment.

Would you like to know about an investment you can make, which is guaranteed to pay big dividends on a regular basis? It’s not a financial investment, but it HAS been shown to lead to financial gain. I’m speaking about a relational investment called “appreciation.”

Unfortunately, many leaders are reluctant to dole out appreciation on a regular basis. This misguided philosophy argues, “If someone is asked to do something and they do it, there’s no reason to show appreciation for their effort. They are simply doing what they are paid to do.” This line of reasoning suggests that appreciation is reserved only for those who exceed the basic requirements of the task. You can verify this by thinking about your previous week. How many times did you receive appreciation from someone in for the basic customary assignments you accomplished?

Showing appreciation to someone is like putting coins in the bank. If you attempt to make a withdrawal from a bank without depositing anything, it’s considered to be either a loan or a robbery. It works the same way with people. When you invest in others and show them appreciation for what they do, even if it appears to be a routine task, you are putting coins in their relational bank. Therefore, if you have to make a relational withdrawal, you will not have to ask for a loan and it will not be considered robbery.

The easiest way to show appreciation to others is to say, “Thank you for what you did. I really appreciate your work.” It really is that simple.

If you’re looking for a sure investment, begin investing in others by showing appreciation. I guarantee it will pay BIG dividends.