Guide 148 / 200 4 swaps Formal register
Professional words for “focus”
Four verbs that name the kind of focus.
i · When it mattersTwo lines, no filler
"Focus" is the corporate default and fine — but fuzzy. "Concentrate" is sustained attention; "prioritise" is ranking against alternatives; "zero in" is informal narrowing; "emphasise" is for communication.
ii · The swaps4 ways
- 01Concentrate neutral
direct sustained effort
Concentrate on the top-three accounts this quarter.
- 02Prioritise neutral
rank against alternatives
Prioritise reliability over features for Q2.
- 03Zero in neutral
informal narrowing of attention
Zero in on the regression from last release.
- 04Emphasise neutral
give weight in communication
Emphasise the compliance piece in the summary.