It’s taken me a while, but I’ve finally decided to proactively change my language. For years, I’ve used the word “stakeholder” without thinking twice.

It’s deeply embedded in business, strategy, communication, and leadership language. I teach it. I write it. I’ve said it thousands of times. But the more I’ve listened, learned, and reflected, the more I understand that the term carries colonial roots and implications that many people find harmful and exclusionary.

The word itself originally referred to a “stake holder” … someone who held stakes or claimed ownership over land, territory, or outcomes. Over time, it became normalized in business language, but for many Indigenous communities and others, it still carries associations with colonization, power, and ownership over people and places.

I’ll be honest…. I struggled with making the shift. Partly because habit is powerful and partly because I didn’t want to sound performative by suddenly replacing a word I’ve used my entire career…but I’ve seen the light.

Language shapes culture and if communication professionals believe words matter, then our own choices should evolve too. So moving forward, I’ll be using words like “audience,” “community,” “employees,” “leaders,” “partners,” or simply “people” depending on the context.

I’m not trying to be perfect….but I’m trying to be intentional…and I know I will slip into old habits along the way, but I’m going to give it a good try. I’m also giving you permission to point it out when I slip.

Curious how others are navigating language shifts in the workplace and profession.