It’s impossible to succeed in the workplace if you’re perceived as a “pushover” – that is, a person who is taken advantage of and, in some instances, actually pushed over.  In fact, it is the second worst thing a person can be perceived as, following being perceived as a...

Earlier this year, a story in The Huffington Post listed 13 of the many words invented by William Shakespeare – including “gloomy,” "majestic,” and “zany.” What many don't know, however, is that he is also responsible for inventing numerous standard business terms. We see just a few of them in...

The ball that you “get rolling” is the same ball as which TWO of these: a) The ball you “get on” b) The ball you place in someone's court c) The ball you want to avoid dropping d) The ball signed by Detroit Tiger Justin Verlander after his no-hitter pitched on May 7,...

As of December 1, there were 12,323 business buzzwords registered with the National Association of Corporate Terminology. One more is needed, and the "Go To Guys" have been assigned to create it.

Marilyn Hallis, a file clerk at San Francisco engineering firm WernerSpitlin, saved the company last Friday by whispering in the ear of a mechanical engineer. “Mechanical engineers are unruly, undisciplined, and subject to random acts of irrational behavior,” says Porter Mitzfeld, president of the Engineering Club of America. “Once you’ve...

The American Association of Monetary Trasparency has proposed a new rule requiring that employees of financial institutions blow an actual whistle when reporting potential malfeasance. “Many of the businesses we represent have complained that the current process is too anonymous,” says council president Gina Kasminski. “They say they have no...

Q) Is “stepping up to the plate” the same thing as “getting on board?” I’ve asked around. Some of my colleagues say yes and some say no, and since my boss says them both to me a lot I feel I need to know if there's a difference. A)...

Before 2015, the think tank business was highly profitable. Most contracted with large organizations that providing enough funding for dozens of people to think about just one thing for five years or more. “Those days are long gone,” says Sheila Landsdowne, founder of Landsdowne Thinkables. “Today if people are paying...

Debitosity: Deploys costs accountants everywhere, including places that don’t need them and haven’t asked for them, operating on the theory that a cost accountant can always be of service Why it’s cool: Encourages employees to eat a minimum of ten complimentary cookies per week. If all the cookies are not...

In 2021, for the first time, sales of the little blue pill that treats sexual dysfunction were surpassed by those of the little yellow pill for corporate dysfunction. “As a society we’ve finally gotten to the point where we’re not ashamed to admit we may need a little help performing...

Q) I think the CEO has sneaked in a change to the mission statement. This morning I noticed a new bullet, “To double December profits.” I thought once you had a mission statement, you stick with it – and not change it just because you want something to happen....

With increased downsizing and more online options – and now the pandemic – US business places don’t need notary publics like they once did. Unable to find work, over 100,000 of them have been forced to move into a notary shelter “It’s a desperate situation,” says Norma Halling, of Rescue...