Chapter 3 Smiles That Cut: Corporate Speak: Rebellious Change by Jared Marcs

“Hey, there! I hope you are doing well today. I wanted to follow up with you, just in case you forgot, the big meeting is today,” said the co-worker. We all know them, the ones that are always in your business, trying to throw your game. Saying stuff like, “ Didn’t want anything to fall through the cracks.”

It is that passive-aggressive corporate language of the disempowered and the manipulative alike, which prioritizes their own interests.

It's not about honesty. It's not about clarity. It's not even about results. It's about control and having an excuse if things go wrong.

I once collaborated with a woman—let’s call her Karen—who would “cc” at least five people on every email, including managers, for the most minor things. It could be a typo in a report or a sentence she “wasn’t sure was aligned with our tone.”

On the surface, she seemed professional. Friendly, even. But the truth? She was an expert at weaponizing professionalism. She’d never tell you directly she had a problem. She’d smile at you in meetings and throw you under the bus in follow-ups.

She’d pretend to “support” you while secretly positioning herself as your superior. And the worst part? Leadership loved her. Because, in corporate culture, performance often takes precedence over principle. If you look like a collaborator, you’re safe—even if you’re the reason your teammates are burning out…

…Corporate Speak is never more dangerous than when it's dressed in disingenuous support.

And if you’re reading this and thinking, “damn, that sounds familiar”—I see you. You are not crazy. You are not too sensitive. You are waking up. Let’s be direct—most workplaces have a colleague whose outwardly positive demeanor is masking undermining behavior.

This is the person who appears supportive in meetings but privately questions your performance, even while keeping a friendly rapport outside of work.