"Reach out, reach out and touch someone..." I don't remember what that's from. Phone company ad?

See, that use, too, implies emotion/intimacy. I just don't think that's the correct connotation when the PR department of Widgets Inc. talks about trying to get ahold of someone on the phone.

"Leaning in" is usually said by female managers who are trying to encourage their female employees to sacrifice a notion of work/life balance and personal time. Because the workplace would be perfect if all the women took on more work and proved they were goal-oriented go-getters. My horrible ex-boss/Dolores Umbridge clone loved the idea of "leaning in". For her employees, not for her.

"Leaning in" is usually said by female managers who are trying to encourage their female employees to sacrifice a notion of work/life balance and personal time.

I gather they are taking this from Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In". I don't think I managed to finish reading the whole thing.

See, that use, too, implies emotion/intimacy. I just don't think that's the correct connotation when the PR department of Widgets Inc. talks about trying to get ahold of someone on the phone.

That distinction works for me. But it makes me think your friend thanking you for reaching out to her would be using it correctly.

Me too! "woah" is what Keanu says.

I have heard people say that before and I don't get it. Keanu says "whoa" just like I do.

I gather they are taking this from Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In".

Yep!

I don't think I managed to finish reading the whole thing.

I passed on reading it when it was being handed around the office at my last job, because I knew it would make me furious.

Speaking of my previous job and their ... unique approach to employees, I found out through the grapevine that anyone slightly outside of corporate America business casual has been subtly encouraged to change their appearance, or has been "performance managed" out.

And, like I said, I don't actually know anyone else who gets annoyed by "reach out" in place of "contact," so in this, I am well aware that I am a crackpot with very particular preferences.

Oh, what did I just say? ;-)

We never used the phrase "reach out to" in my workplace until our newest assistant editor was hired. She brought it with her, and now it has spread like a bright and cheery fungus throughout the department. I will not say it.

"Reach out" is what you do to distant loved ones, to troubled youth, to homeless veterans, to people who donated to your campaign last year. I dislike the use of it in the context of non-solicitation business communication.

However, it must be noted that around the 1920s, prescriptivists like me were spitting mad over the use of the word "contact" in that very context. If you are not literally touching them, you are NOT in contact with them! There are plenty of perfectly good words that mean "communicate with", there is no need to drag "contact" into service of that meaning! So... yeah. Ever on the losing side of the language battle, here.

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tapdances

"Reach out" always has a tone of desperation to it. "I'm reaching out, hoping someone will save me! Please, take my hand!"