LinkedIn has changed the way professionals communicate, especially in public. Before LinkedIn was launched in 2003, corporate language sounded different and was found mainly in meeting rooms, memos, annual reports, management books, and carefully edited press releases. No comment was complete without phrases like: “Think outside the box”, “win-win”, “take it to the next level”, “low-hanging fruit”.
They sounded polished and deep. Those who didn’t use such expressions were seen as not sounding professional enough. But the phrases often hid weak thinking, vague plans or a fear of saying something plainly.
As LinkedIn grew and became more important in the corporate world, many people welcomed a more personal style of communication. The platform emphasised first-person stories, lessons learnt and direct advice. That shift was useful. It removed the stiffness in professional communication.
But wherever human beings form a community, they soon develop habits which invariably harden into templates. Those who don’t use these templates in their communication are perceived as “outsiders”. The coming of AI even worsened the situation, because people can type in a sentence or paragraph and ask AI to turn it into a LinkedIn post for them, and it is done instantly.
These posts follow the same structure: a dramatic opening, a short narrative, a bold “lesson,” and a closing line engineered for comments. Although the posts are well written, they sound predictable and similar. Being predictable and indistinguishable is costly when you are trying to build trust. Even when the story is real, the pre-packaged language makes it sound unreal.
As 2025 draws to a close, if you want to sound like yourself in 2026, the goal is not to be edgy or to reject popular ideas. You just need to be clear, specific and different. One practical step is to avoid stale phrases. Ensure these 50 cliches don’t appear in your posts in 2026.
The “I’m profound” clichés
These lines try to announce depth before any depth arrives. Many people use them as shortcuts to establish that they have authority and competence.
Here’s the truth…
Let that sink in.
Let’s unpack this.
Here’s the thing…
If you know, you know.
I don’t usually post things like this but…
I’m about to say something controversial…
This might shock you but…
It’s not what you think.
Read that again.
Buckle up.
Here’s the harsh reality.
People buy from people.
No free lunch (even in Freetown).
It is what it is.
If your point is strong, it will feel strong without stage directions.
The “corporate inspiration” clichés
Many of these started as useful reminders. Over time, repetition turned them into weak slogans.
Leadership is not a title.
Your network is your net worth.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast.
People don’t leave companies; they leave managers.
Done is better than perfect.
We rise by lifting others.
Be the best version of yourself.
Step out of your comfort zone.
This moment taught me that …
Work smarter, not harder.
Unleash your potential.
These phrases are difficult to disagree with, which is why they spread. But the more a statement can mean anything, the less it helps anyone do something tomorrow.
The “I just discovered a deep life lesson” clichés
These lines often promise wisdom, then deliver a conclusion that is too broad to test.
I learned this the hard way.
What no one tells you about success is…
Nobody is coming to save you.
Stay humble. Stay hungry.
Consistency is the real flex.
Trust the process.
Your habits determine your future.
The game has changed.
Personal lessons are more impactful when they include context: what you tried, what failed, what you changed and what happened next.
The “humble brag” structures
There is nothing wrong with sharing progress or success. But the snag in these templates is that they dramatise modesty while delivering an announcement. Like Chinua Achebe said: “What is modesty but inverted pride?” Whenever you update your LinkedIn profile with a new job, promotion, or project, LinkedIn creates a draft post and urges you to publish it.
I’m happy to announce…
I’m humbled and excited…
Never thought I’d be sharing this…
Quick update:
So this happened today…
Full circle moment.
If you want to sound like you, just drop the suggested template and use your own words. If you earned an achievement, just say so with calm honesty. Your audience does not need emotional packaging to accept good news.
The “hot take” intros
These openers attempt to create tension before the argument appears. They are used to trigger reactions, not understanding.
Unpopular opinion:
No one is talking about this enough.
This might upset some people…
Not sure who needs to hear this, but…
If your idea is worth posting, you can state it directly. If it is wrong, a warning label will not save it.
New additions showing up everywhere
These newer lines are spreading quickly, especially in posts that aim to sound urgent, instructional or decisive.
Let me be very clear.
This changed everything for me.
Read this before you post today.
I wish someone told me this earlier.
Soft skills are the new hard skills.
This is your sign.
How can you avoid these cliches? Look at your first two lines and ask if they could be swapped with the first two lines of a hundred other posts. If the answer is yes, they are probably doing more harm than you think. Another test is to remove every “setup” sentence and see whether the remaining text still carries meaning.
LinkedIn clichés also flatten cultural and professional differences. A nurse, a startup founder, a community organiser and an engineer don’t face the same issues and should not sound alike. But recycled phrases make their experiences sound the same. When language becomes interchangeable, credibility suffers.
You do not have to delete every common expression. Some everyday phrases are simply normal English. Your focus should be the dramatic lines that try to signal insight, humility or bravery without doing the work. Replace them with three things: the specific situation, the decision you made and the result you observed. Those details create a voice which no algorithm can duplicate consistently.
Why does this matter? People scan LinkedIn posts. They decide in seconds whether to keep going. Clichés create a sense that the reader has already seen the post, even if the topic is new.
Avoiding clichés does not mean writing with big words or trying to sound unusual. It means replacing ready-made lines with specific meaning. Instead of “here’s the truth”, state the truth as you see it, then show your reasoning. Instead of “trust the process”, describe the process you followed. Instead of “unpopular opinion”. make the claim, provide evidence and invite disagreement without drama.
In 2026, AI will make competent writing cheap and abundant. That will increase the value of the human voice. The posts that stand out will be the ones that sound steady, concrete and personal in the best sense.
X: @BrandAzuka
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