If you write media statements, advise colleagues or clients or speak to the media regularly yourself – it can be comforting to fall back on familiar phrases and reassuring sayings.

But try to make your statement sound like it wasn’t composed by a cliché-bot.

In this scribble, each item of clothing is made up of my least favourite filler statements. You’ll sound more sincere if you use a form of words where you say what you mean off the top of your head, rather than sounding official.

Nobody is convinced by:

• “I want to focus on the real issue”. Everyone knows it means “I don’t want to talk about the thing you just said”;
• “Let’s be [perfectly] clear” followed by a vague point;
• “Saddened”. It is not a word you use when you’re actually sad;
• “Committed to diversity”, which is something you do. Just saying it isn’t virtuous and doesn’t make it true any more than if I told you I’m committed to being a sober supermodel;
• “Conducting a rigorous investigation” – the lazy way of saying “we’re stalling for time”. It’s hackneyed.

Leave your statement outfit in the closet.

(I doodlel on comms and work stuff over at workitoutwithapencil.com if you want to take a look.)