A running dictionary of the phrases that permeate the consulting world, and business more broadly.
to work contentedly with other individuals (e.g., within a team or organizational unit) in a manner that evokes the free-spirited collaboration of a playground filled with toddlers, full of the guileless joie de vivre that comes with exploring a new world; unfortunately this phrase is generally…
to engage in an inordinately complex task that requires one to establish operating requirements and/or develop capabilities while simultaneously carrying out the functions that these are ultimately intended to support; caution is advised for those finding themselves in a situation…
to imply that someone will expend his or her utmost effort in support of a person, idea, system, etc., usually in a manner that will preserve the status quo, as in “I can’t let them change our PowerPoint template, I’ll fight…
a generally unstructured, comprehensive verbal transfer of information from one party to another, sometimes occurring in the context of a transition between staff or project phases; conveys a note of inconsideration on the part of the dumper, who has not invested…
(adj.) a piece of analysis or area of thinking that is prepared or reviewed as a cautionary measure, without expectation that it will be used in discussion, but that can nonetheless be whipped out at a moment’s notice; a similar…
to be situated at the utmost point of advancement, e.g., a role having frontline customer interaction, or one bearing direct responsibility for the work being done; this contrasts with the positions of higher-ups who remain comfortably ensconced in their climate-controlled offices, where nary…
to prepare for a particularly difficult, complex, or large task requiring ample preparation, as in “The whole board of directors is coming to this negotiation Tom, we’d better load for bear”; stems from analogy to the fact that when hunting large…
While the novice jargon user may stick to hoary classics like proactive or think outside the box, a select subset of management types are able to insinuate the following phrases into workaday conversation with little effort. Caution is advised when handling these expressions— inexperienced…
a specific element of work that will be difficult to properly execute, usually used in relation to a smaller component of a larger effort; usage may be correlated to those individuals with a high frequency of practicing imaginary golf swings…
to take on an oppressively large task that may appear at first glance to be nearly impossible; accomplishing it will require sustained effort over a long duration, likely engendering significant unpleasantness for the individual facing said responsibility; the connotations of…