We’ve all been there. You are sitting in a meeting that feels like it’s dragging on for an eternity, and someone—usually a project manager or an overly caffeinated executive—claps their hands and says, "Alright team, let’s get the ball rolling!" It’s a classic. It’s safe. It is also, quite frankly, a bit tired.
Idioms are the bread and butter of corporate communication, but when you use the same ones over and over, they lose their punch. People start tuning out. If you want to actually motivate a team or sound like you have a fresh perspective, finding a solid get the ball rolling synonym isn't just about being a walking thesaurus. It’s about nuance. It’s about choosing the right vibe for the right room.
Sometimes you need something punchy. Other times, you need to sound formal.
Why We Lean on This Specific Cliché
Language is lazy. That’s not an insult; it’s just how our brains work. We use "get the ball rolling" because everyone knows exactly what it means: to initiate a process or start an activity. It suggests momentum. It implies that once we give this thing a little nudge, gravity and physics will do the rest of the work for us.
But business isn't a physics simulation.
Often, starting a project feels less like rolling a ball down a hill and more like pushing a boulder up one. When you use a get the ball rolling synonym, you’re actually signaling what kind of start you’re looking for. Are we just "kicking things off," or are we "lighting a fire"? There is a massive difference in energy between those two.
The Professional Switch-Ups
If you’re writing an email to a CEO or a client you haven't quite bonded with yet, you probably want to ditch the sports metaphors entirely. "Kicking off" is fine, but it’s a bit casual.
Try commence. It sounds heavy. It sounds like you’re about to do something important. "We are ready to commence the integration phase." It’s clean. It’s surgical. Honestly, it makes it sound like you know exactly what the next ten steps are, even if you’re still figuring out step three.
Another great one is instigate. Now, this one is tricky. Usually, we associate instigating with starting a fight or a riot. But in a business context, "instigating a change" or "instigating a review" implies that you are the catalyst. You aren't just a participant; you’re the reason things are happening.
- Set in motion: This is the literal equivalent. It’s elegant. It suggests a complex machine starting to whir into life.
- Trigger: Use this for technical or fast-paced environments. "This will trigger the next phase of development."
- Inaugurate: Save this for the big stuff. A new building, a massive multi-year partnership, or a brand-new department. It feels ceremonial.
Getting Creative with It
When you’re with your actual team—the people you see every day on Slack or in the breakroom—you can afford to be a bit more human. You don't need to sound like a textbook.
"Let’s break the ice on this project."
This works specifically if the team is hesitant. Maybe it’s a difficult task. Maybe no one knows where to start. Breaking the ice acknowledges that the beginning is the hardest part because of the friction.
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Or, if you’re feeling aggressive in a good way: "Light the fuse."
This is for the high-stakes launches. It’s for the marketing campaigns that need to explode. It tells your team that once we start, there is no turning back. It creates immediate urgency.
The Science of Starting (and Why Words Matter)
There’s actually some interesting psychology behind how we frame the "start" of a project. Researchers like Dr. Piers Steel, an expert on procrastination, often talk about the "intention-action gap." This is that weird space where you know you need to do something, you want to do it, but you just... don't.
The words you use to bridge that gap matter. If you tell a team to "get the ball rolling," you’re using a passive metaphor. If you tell them to "seize the initiative," you are calling for leadership. According to various linguistic studies, the metaphors we use shape our conceptual systems. If we view work as a "ball," we might wait for someone else to push it. If we view it as a "launch," we expect a high-energy takeoff.
Stop Using These Alternatives
Not every get the ball rolling synonym is a winner. Some are actually worse than the original.
"Open the kimono."
Just... no. This was a weirdly popular Silicon Valley-ism for a while, meant to mean "let’s get started by showing our cards" or "being transparent." It’s uncomfortable and outdated. Avoid it.
"Let's get this show on the road."
Unless you are literally in a band or a traveling circus, this feels a bit "Dad joke." It’s fine for a Saturday morning trip to the hardware store, but maybe not for a Series B funding pitch.
Contextualizing Your Vocabulary
You have to read the room. Let's look at how different industries might swap this out.
In Software Development, nobody "rolls a ball." They "deploy," "initialize," or "spin up." If a developer tells you they are "spinning up a server," they are getting the ball rolling. It’s specific to their world.
In Construction or Engineering, you might hear "break ground." It’s tactile. You can feel the dirt moving. Even if the project is digital, saying "we’re breaking ground on the new UI" gives it a sense of physical reality.
In Legal or Academic circles, you’re more likely to see "institute" or "originate." These aren't just fancy words; they have specific meanings regarding the creation of formal processes or documents.
The "Actionable" List for Your Next Email
If you’re staring at a draft right now, wondering how to replace that tired phrase, here is a quick guide on what to pick based on what you actually mean:
- If you want to sound like a leader: "Spearhead." (Example: "I’m going to spearhead the initial research.")
- If you want to sound collaborative: "Get things underway." (Example: "Let’s get things underway with a quick sync.")
- If you want to sound fast: "Jump-start." (Example: "We need to jump-start the recruitment process.")
- If you want to sound formal: "Commence." (Example: "The proceedings will commence at noon.")
- If you want to sound like a disruptor: "Catalyze." (Example: "This partnership will catalyze our growth in the European market.")
The Misconception of "Perfect" Language
People think that "good writing" means using the biggest words possible. It doesn't.
Good writing is about clarity. Sometimes, "start" is the best word. It’s a four-letter word that everyone understands. It’s visceral. You don't always need a get the ball rolling synonym to be effective. Sometimes you just need to say, "Let’s start."
However, we use these idioms to build culture. When a team has their own shorthand for starting—whether it’s "punching it" or "going live"—it builds a sense of belonging. It’s "our" way of doing things.
Practical Next Steps to Improve Your Communication
To truly master your professional vocabulary, you should audit your own sent messages. Look back at the last five project-related emails you sent. Did you use "get the ball rolling" or "touch base" or "circle back"? If you did, you’re operating on autopilot.
Next time you are about to type a cliché, stop. Ask yourself: What am I actually asking these people to do?
If you’re asking them to begin a creative brainstorm, use "ignite." If you’re asking them to start a data entry task, use "process." If you’re asking them to finally start a project that’s been delayed for months, use "resurrect."
The more specific your verbs, the more specific your results. Stop rolling balls and start directing action. Change your vocabulary, and you’ll notice that people start paying a little more attention to what you’re actually saying.
Start by replacing one cliché in your very next meeting. See if the energy in the room shifts when you use a word that actually carries some weight. It’s a small change, but in a world of "standard" corporate speak, being the person who speaks clearly and uniquely makes you the person people actually want to listen to.
Don't just "get the ball rolling"—execute.