Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
The 10 worst examples of management speak
From 'action' as a verb to stakeholder not meaning someone preparing to kill a vampire, I have to admit each and every one of these words sets my teeth on edge.
What jargon drives you up the wall?
Enough with the blue sky thinking?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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Examples of steps to management-speak:
Redundancy (plain English, no spin) ...
Downsizing (minimsing) .... then finally,
Right-sizing (positive, full-on management-speak)
Similarly, note Microsoft's abolition of bugs:
The negative and unhelpful,
problem gave way to
issue (still not upbeat enough) and finally to the bouncy
focus area.
So anyone uses a Microsoft-level operating system that throws up a repeatable problem (AKA "bug"), be rest assured it's actually a focus-area. Sadly, the trend seems to be to dumb-down to Management Consultant intellect.
More examples of the sequence towards distortion of meaning welcome ...
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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I blame McKinsey for 'passing away' as the alternative to die? They're the wust them manidgemunt Kunsulternts.
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Again, this is muddying the waters.
Is it possible that 'passing away' is a euphemism, in the ordinary meaning of that word, rather than a management "alternative"?
Management-speak is a distinct class of low-grade English usage.
It can be distinguished from "Americanisms" (almost always, Olde English words), abbreviations, euphemisms, gang language, micro-languages, slogans and terms used in professions. I also think it can be separated from jargon, which is normally used within a particular industry.
One of the drawbacks of management-speak is that it encourages woolly thinking. Pull your socks up Hugh!
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Permalink Reply by Mat Day on
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You're conflating specific pieces of language with a corporate desire to manipulate perception. Related but distinct phenomena.
Woolly thinking indeed :)
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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From time to time, I've edited someone else's report, article, or - very occasionally - book. I enjoyed most working closely with an author and being able to ask: "What exactly does this mean?". Especially when they do know what they mean and are keen to share their knowledge and ideas with intended readers. And welcome a fresh opinion and suggestions on how to say it clearly and interestingly.
I have an old copy of The King's English by H.W. and F.G. Fowler. The book begins: "Any one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to be direct, simple, brief, vigorous, and lucid". It offers six practical rules. "in order of merit".
- Prefer the familiar word to the far-fetched.
- Prefer the concrete word to the abstract.
- Prefer the single word to the circumlocution.
- Prefer the short word to the long.
- Prefer the Saxon word to the Romance.
The Fowler brothers might have lost me with that "endeavour". Except that I met - in print - another valued guide who takes a similar approach to writing with clarity . Re-reading George Orwell's 1946 essay, I wonder if I've gone much beyond "Politics and the English Language". Plus his advice that: “Good prose is like a window pane”.
It's satisfying to work with people who want their knowledge and ideas communicated to readers or listeners. But as this thread shows, it's also irritating when people are sloppy, or can't be bothered; falling back on platitudes, slogans or buzzwords.
I find hardest to deal with those distrust the truth. As Orwell explains, their purpose is using language as an instrument for concealing or preventing thought. They prefer things behind the curtain; in the dark. Their reports are stamped "EXEMPT". Asked whether Monday follows Sunday their first instinct is to think about data protection and commercial confidentiality. Forced by legislation or expediency to pretend a belief in openness, they rely on spin doctors whose communication model is PR and advertising copy. In their world services are always "new” and “upgraded”. Or with “a commitment to better youth services” which means fewer services. This disease is cross-party; and infects the public and private sectors.
(Tottenham Hale ward councillor)
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Mottoe* of ye Kynges Fowlers:
A bridde in ye honde is weorth twa in ye bushe.
(familiar, concrete, single, short, Saxon)
*Regrettably Min sarig, mottoe hath Latine rootes, but slogan / sluagh-ghairm is a wilde Gaelic-Gallic warre-waile not meet for ye Kynge Edoard his eares.
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I'm afraid Alan we are just going to have to agree to agree. Yes, Fowler is good, if not the best. Fowler should be force-fed to fifth formers.
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In my secondary school it was the teachers who did not "force-feed us who got the best results. Those who encouraged and inspired and challenged us were remembered for many many years with respect and admiration.
Incidentally, this isn't just my personal view. By chance I met an ex-teacher from the school - now dead but then in his eighties. He gave me his insider view. And also told me about a website set up by ex-pupils who'd posted both their feelings about former teachers they liked and their loathing of the worst bullies and snobs on the staff.
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I am interviewing at the moment and a word which keep coming up and which I find really annoying is 'thoughtleader'
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I was wondering when that would make an appearance locally. It's the best bullshit I've come across for ages. Bullshit in the sky with diamonds!
Don't believe me? Read this article from Forbes Magazine in March last year.
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Permalink Reply by HoL Site Admin on
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Posted by Pamela Harling on April 30, 2013 at 16:39
Please add these to the mix: singing from the same hymn sheet, lets get our ducks in a row, something about flags up flag poles, shining a light on things, mission statements, stakeholders, blah blah
not sure this has gone into the right place...
(We've eased it left a bit Pamela
)
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Permalink Reply by Nick Hare on
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I like to imagine a financially-troubled 'Cliche Zoo', which has wolves circling a wagon, crocodiles approaching a boat, cats being herded with difficulty and of course ducks permanently needing to be aligned. I like to imagine the zookeepers being sent on a management training course, and hilarity ensuing.
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