a weakness, flaw, or shortcoming that should be rectified, usually by the subsequent suggestion; in strongly feedback-oriented cultures these can be highlighted with some regularity, so using this term shifts the focus away from failures and onto ways that an individual can grow, avoiding the perception of pervasive negativity; can also refer to a task that falls well outside the purview of an individual and which brings very little benefit that is nevertheless foisted on him or her, as in “Hey Jane, why don’t you go ahead and take care of snack arrangements for the next update meeting, it will be a good development opportunity for you”; alternatively, can refer to a new job that intentionally outmatches someone’s expertise or capabilities, such that he or she is forced to acquire new skills quickly or risk flaming out