Hyperbole is so overused it's taken over our lives. I know: I'm being hyperbolic. Hyperbole, exaggerations we do not mean to be taken literally, is a literary device most teachers at school and managers in the office would tell us to avoid. I say not so fast.
Hyperboles appear in everyday speech and writing, especially on social media. Some hyperboles we use seem harmless enough: Ana is loaded with money, Billy has tons of projects, Carlee walks faster than a cheetah runs, Danny reviewed the accuracy of the protocol a million times.
So how might we use hyperbole appropriately at work? Here are some examples I've come across that affected me positively with zero offense factor:
- Evelyn's support during the project saved the team.
- Franco's slide presentation spellbound his audience.
- Gayle will get back to you in a flash.
- Hank is an Einstein when it comes to analytics.
