Office Talk

How many times do you find yourself saying the same phrases over and over at work? A few weeks back, a colleague of mine asked how I was doing. My response: “Just plugging along…” He stopped, considered what I’d said for about a second, and asked… “What does that really mean?” The more I thought about it, I realized that the phrases we use in and around the office can take on such interesting, and sometimes, funny meanings.

Here are a few great business phrases and their definitions that come to mind:

1. Just plugging along: "I'm doing fine, nothing new. I'm just working as usual."
2. Pick your brain: Substituted when someone simply wants to ask you something.
   
3. Throw it against the wall and see what sticks: Often used to describe a haphazard approach to presenting a batch of ideas, or my favorite, to see if your spaghetti noodles are ready.
4. It's not rocket science: Used most often when pointing out to someone that the task she/he has been asked to complete isn't, in fact, complicated. (wink, wink)
5. The ball's in your court: This phrase is usually thrown around (pun intended) to let others know that you've reached your limit with regard to handling a situation. It’s their turn now.
6. Past history: This one drives me crazy every time I hear it, “Well, based on past history ...” History is, by definition, something that occurred in the past, so why on earth say “past”?
7. Pick the low hanging fruit: Some people are interested in how to get the best results with the least possible effort.  Some might call this quality laziness, but some prefer to think of it as efficiency.  Why not get the most bang for your buck? Ohh, look, there’s another one – Bang for your Buck. Moving on…
8. Ducks in a row: This came from the world of sports, specifically bowling. Early bowling pins were often shorter and thicker than modern pins, which lead to the nickname ducks. Before the advent of automatic resetting machines, these "duck pins" would be manually put back into place between bowling rounds. Therefore, having one's ducks in a row would be a metaphor for having all of the bowling pins organized and properly placed before sending the next ball down the lane. Did you know that many bowling alleys still offer "duck pin" lanes with smaller bowling balls and shorter pins…?!
9. Eat your own dog food: I can’t believe how many business professionals use this term. It’s also called dogfooding. This is when a company uses the products that it makes. Dogfooding can be a way for a company to demonstrate confidence in its own products, and hence, a kind of testimonial advertising. At dovetail, we believe in building relationships to build a brand, and I believe it has been and will be one of the keys to our success! (I’m totally dogfooding right now…)
10. You keep the trains running on time: My boss says this about me a lot. Hey, everyone’s got to be a little project manager at one time or another. Even if you’re lucky enough for it to not be your job title, odds are that you’re doing, thinking about, or wishing for things that the “typical” project manager makes happen. We love to hate them, but even if project managers have a hard time explaining to their mom what they do, they play a pretty important role in keeping the trains running on time, or, in the worst case, making everyone exhausted from pushing. :)