Blog
Essays on Australian corporate jargon, meeting theatre, and the language we use at work.
The Complete Guide to Australian Corporate Jargon (2026)
Every type of corporate jargon used in Australian offices, decoded. From verbs of inaction to restructuring euphemisms — what they say, what they mean, and why it keeps happening.
Why Your Meetings Don't Make Sense
A dry, honest look at why Australian office meetings are long on activity and short on decisions — and the language patterns that make it possible.
A Translator's Guide to 'Per My Last Email'
The definitive guide to passive-aggressive corporate email language, decoded with worked examples. What it says, what it means, and why the gap matters.
The 50 Most Useless Phrases in Australian Offices
A ranked list of the corporate phrases that Australian workers hear most and mean least — from 'touch base' to 'at the end of the day' — with plain-English translations.
The Origin of Buzzword Bingo (and Why We Built a Better Version)
Buzzword bingo has existed since 1993. We explain why it never became a daily habit — and what makes Circle Back different.
Yeah-Nah: How Australians Soften the Word 'No' in Meetings
The Australian corporate vocabulary for saying no without saying no — from 'yeah-nah' to 'not across it' — and why the indirectness is uniquely Australian.
The Five Things 'We're Exploring' Actually Means
One phrase. Five completely different meanings depending on who says it and when. A guide to reading 'we're exploring' in context.
Why Saying 'Circle Back' Is the New Saying 'I'll Get Back to You'
How 'circle back' replaced 'I'll get back to you' in Australian offices — the history of corporate deferral language, and why the new version is worse.
Behind the Game: How We Built Circle Back in 3 Weeks
The origin story of Circle Back — why we built it, how the daily puzzle format works technically, and what we learned shipping a viral game in three weeks.