Apr 22, 2022 - Economy & BusinessThe power of words: Killing "killers"Jim VandeHeiAxios on facebookAxios on twitterAxios on linkedinAxios on emailIllustration: Sarah Grillo/AxiosSeveral readers — including Thrive CEO Arianna Huffington and Wharton School professor Rachel Pacheco — told us they hate our phrase "killers with humility." We use it to describe ideal Axios employees: They have killer talent, but put the cause above their own ambition.Why it matters: Well, we have the humility to listen … and we think they're right!The gripe with "killers with humility" is instructive about the debate on modern business culture and word choices."Research shows that our word choice used in describing ideal employee characteristics and traits, unsurprisingly, has a significant impact on who applies and who joins organizations," Dr. Pacheco wrote to me. Her main concern: "Killers" is too masculine and could scare off possible candidates.