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#1 Posted : 30 December 2004 00:52:00(UTC)
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Posted By Raymond Rapp During a safety meeting the other day it occurred to me that management have their own speak. As follows: 'We are monitoring the situation' = we have forgotten all about that, but thanks for reminding us. 'We are reviewing our procedures' = we've cocked up, but we are hoping to blame someone else. 'We are currently investigating' = still not found anyone to blame, but getting closer. 'We have identified the problem' = found someone to take the blame. 'We have rectified the problem' = someone has been disciplined. Ray the Cynical
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#2 Posted : 30 December 2004 10:09:00(UTC)
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Posted By Martin Ffitch I was in a video conference with some American colleagues the other day. When they were asked about the situation regarding contaminated land at one site they replied: "It used to be contaminated but we risk assessed it away" Happy New Year
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#3 Posted : 30 December 2004 15:07:00(UTC)
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Posted By steven bentham and more . . . "lets have a focus group" - we have no bloody idea at all what to do "you need to make a business case" - this will stall it, you've nearly caught us out here "we will benchmark with others" - even longer stalling technique "its going into our business plan" - the same as above but + 3 years
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#4 Posted : 30 December 2004 19:02:00(UTC)
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Posted By Laurie "The matter is being addressed" - We're looking for somebody to pass it on to. "The matter is being actively addressed" We found somebody to pass it on to. This normally allows at least four meetings of "The material/ responses/ inputs are being collated", followed by a couple of "The report is in 1st/ 2nd/3rd draft". This is followed by "The report is with the Executive" which normally kills it stone dead! Cynical? Me? Laurie
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#5 Posted : 30 December 2004 19:32:00(UTC)
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Posted By Andrew Cartridge Ray I'm with you all the way, try these for "Corporate Lingo" "JOIN OUR FAST-PACED COMPANY": (translation)We have no time to train you; you'll have to introduce yourself to your co-workers. "COMPETITIVE SALARY": (translation)We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors. "SEEKING ENTHUSIASTIC, FUN, HARD WORKING, PEOPLE": (translation)...who still live with their parents and won't mind our internship-level salaries. "CASUAL WORK ATMOSPHERE": (translation)We don't pay enough to expect that you'll dress up well. A couple of the really daring guys wear earrings. "JOIN OUR DYNAMIC TEAM": (translation)We all listen to nutty motivational tapes. "MUST BE DEADLINE ORIENTED": (translation)You'll be six months behind schedule on your first day. "SOME OVERTIME REQUIRED": (translation)Some time each night and some time each weekend. "DUTIES WILL VARY": (translation)Anyone in the office can boss you around. "MUST HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL": (translation)We have no quality control. "NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE": (translation)We've filled the job; our call for resumes is just a legal formality. "PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS A MUST": (translation)You're walking into a company in perpetual chaos. "REQUIRES TEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS": (translation)You'll have the responsibilities of a manager, without the pay or respect. "GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS": (translation)Management communicates, you listen, figure out what they want and do it. Happy New Year To All Andy Cartridge
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#6 Posted : 05 January 2005 10:15:00(UTC)
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Posted By John Mackessack Andy, You forgot "THIS IS A CHALLENGING POSITION", which means: a) The last person was sacked after going sick with work-related stress. b) It's a job no-one else wants.
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#7 Posted : 07 January 2005 20:23:00(UTC)
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Posted By Karen Todd Some more: "WITH THIS ROLE COMES A LARGE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY" = "You'll be put in an office on your own in the far corner of the factory to keep you well out of the way. You're only here because we've legally got to have you. We don't really care what you get up to". "YOU'RE OVER-REACTING" = "Shut up. You've said enough. I don't want to know". "WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?" = "I don't really give a damn - I'll be passing the blame onto you anyway". K
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#8 Posted : 07 January 2005 20:51:00(UTC)
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Posted By David Brede What about 'lets move on now'. You have asked too difficult a question you rascal and no one has an answer.
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#9 Posted : 10 January 2005 12:49:00(UTC)
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Posted By ken mosley To alleviate the tedium of management speak in meetings you can try bulls*** bingo. You and a collegue pick five management phrases each and tick them off as they arise in the meeting. The first to tick off his five shouts 'Bingo'. It's great craic as no-one else knows what's going off. My favorite management speaks are ;- "Blue sky thinking" - "Retrospective foresight" - "Roll out an idea" - "Who will buy into it?" - "Thinking outside the box"
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#10 Posted : 10 January 2005 13:59:00(UTC)
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Posted By david baird Like you Ken I am fascinated by management techno babble and listening to people spouting forth at meetings, some additions which have caused me inwardly to shake my head - We need to hard wire components together, Clear sky thinking / blue sky thinking, I think we need to go for the slow burn on this, Lets smear an FTE (full time equivalent) across these activities, Our organisation is an aeroplane flying above the clouds and along the way there are issues which may rise from below the clouds and we need to be able to smack these down, because you can’t see all of the ice berg, Long view thinking / beyond the horizon, Its all about interdepartmental synergism, If we drill down then a horizontal sliced audit is a good idea, Cheers, David
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#11 Posted : 10 January 2005 19:26:00(UTC)
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Posted By Sylvia Tyler I hear what you are saying but.........../ means they haven't listened and what's more they don't plan on doing a thing about it!! We must be very patient individuals in safety.
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#12 Posted : 10 January 2005 21:01:00(UTC)
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Posted By Stuart Nagle These ones really grate me.... "I/we know where you're coming from" (Translated: but I/we have not a single intention of going there...) "We're Pioneering this" (Translation: We have absolutely no idea what we're doing...or where we're going...) "We're building this in glass" (Translation: We're think this is going to work...but if it breaks you get to clean up the mess...) Stuart
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#13 Posted : 11 January 2005 08:50:00(UTC)
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Posted By DavidHaddon I can't believe that nobody has mentioned: "HANDS-ON ROLE" Management shorthand for: "You will have to do it yourself, everybody else is too busy for Health and Safety".
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#14 Posted : 11 January 2005 08:58:00(UTC)
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Posted By Brian McMillan "With the greatest respect ..." - Usually means they have none
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#15 Posted : 11 January 2005 10:49:00(UTC)
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Posted By Mark R. Devlin Currently in vogue "going forward" - also, "robust", "worst case scenario", "outside the box", "bottoming out" "lets park that",
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