“You’re on mute” was mentioned on 1,000 % extra calls between executives and traders in 2020 in contrast with 2019.
The coronavirus pandemic gave 2020 a brand new dictionary, and seemingly in a single day, company America started talking with a brand new language. In calls between executives and traders, there was a alternative set of phrases and phrases that had been used to explain the … unprecedented second all of us discovered ourselves dwelling via. These are a few of the phrases whose use skyrocketed this 12 months, based mostly on greater than 20,000 company displays that we analyzed with Sentieo, a analysis agency. (Surprisingly, executives swore simply as a lot as final 12 months.)
“Unprecedented occasions”
Talked about in 2,128 calls this 12 months vs. 3 final 12 months
+70,830%
“These are unprecedented occasions. Lots of our reopening isn’t just our determination. We’re not totally in management.” Christine McCarthy, C.F.O. of the Walt Disney Firm Sept. 9
“Difficult”
14,655 calls vs. 8,528
+70%
“We’ve by no means been in a tougher surroundings.” Larry Culp Jr., C.E.O. of Common Electrical Oct. 28
“Furlough”
1,283 calls vs. 30
+4,180%
“Technical difficulties”
526 calls vs. 129
+310%
“(Expletive)”
100 calls vs. 101
No change
“So the extension of the shelter-in-place — or frankly I’d name it forcibly imprisoning folks of their properties towards all their constitutional rights — however that’s my opinion — and breaking folks’s freedoms in methods which can be horrible and mistaken and never why folks got here to America or constructed this nation. What the (expletive). Excuse me. It’s outrage. It’s an outrage.” Elon Musk, C.E.O. of Tesla April 29
Supply: Sentieo • Figures are from transcripts of investor requires all firms with a U.S. inventory market itemizing. Prevalence is measured by the variety of transcripts through which a phrase seems, not all particular person mentions. Knowledge as of Dec. 28. • Illustration by The New York Occasions