A running dictionary of the phrases that permeate the consulting world, and business more broadly.
an intangible area where untimely, tangential, or otherwise undesirable ideas that crop up are metaphorically placed, often to be abandoned, as in: “Let’s put price increases in the parking lot for now, we want to stay focused on unit growth”;…
a holdover term from the analog era, in which the substance and impressiveness of one’s work would be captured in the heft of the documents dropped on the conference room table at the start of a meeting, generating a solid…
to ignore risks and continue on a course of action that has a high chance of ending in a metaphorically explosive fashion, due to circumstances of which one is generally aware although specifics are unknown; stems from the tactic in…
actions that lead to often-needless agitation, done as an attention-grabbing measure or even unwittingly, as in “Jeff shouldn’t lead the reorganization, he’s already got a reputation for boat rocking”; boat rocking may nonetheless be tolerated in individuals whose other attributes…
(also same song sheet or hymnal) to be in complete accord concerning a decision that needs to be undertaken, or to have identical perspectives on a given issue; comes from the requirement for church choirs to have consistent musical instructions in order to…
to advocate fervently in favor of a particular point of view or on behalf of someone; directly recalls the image of someone beating a table with a clenched fist due to the fervor of his or her beliefs; this phrase…
(adj.) a concept, proposal or element of work that is formless or broad, to the extent that it lacks real meaning or that innumerable additional elements could be attached to it, as in: “That’s a Christmas tree proposal Bob, you…
a term used when functional units operate in isolation, implying that projects are passed off from one group to the next without cooperation or coordination and so without regard for the needs of the downstream user; conjures up an image…