Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Non-Wargaming Discussion => Fun Stuff => Topic started by: Last Hussar on 03 June 2020, 05:49:35 PM

Title: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Last Hussar on 03 June 2020, 05:49:35 PM
It is
An unplanned short-term temporary promotion with non-tangible reward.

It is not
Your boss shovelling his work onto you

Do say
I relish the opportunity to support my colleagues while enhancing my skillset

Don't say
Do your own fecking work you lazy bastard

It is
A development opportunity

It is not
A pain in the arse.


Thank you for your co-operation.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 03 June 2020, 06:25:00 PM
You say: Thank you for this unexpected chance to improve my skill set, I'm sure you will be an invaluable source of inspiration and support

You mean: I am going to make your life hell by asking for your input on every tiny decision


You say: I realise in these straightened times that we must all step up for the good of our colleagues and the company, without thought of reward beyond a job well done

You mean: If you think the job is of no value then a valueless job is what you'll get


You say: I would like to thank you and the company for this opportunity and look forward to improving the quality and range of my skills

You mean: I'm going to put in for every training course there is, you'll be lucky to see me in the office in the next six months.


You say: In these difficult times we must learn to think outside the box

You mean:  I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet but one way or another I'm going to prove that the sky-diving course I fancied is essential to my new responsibilities.


:) :) :) :)  :d :d :d :d :d
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Heedless Horseman on 07 June 2020, 04:52:47 AM
Not quotes, but:
'Monty'..".given the appropriate resources, I believe that we can resolve this in..."
'Pattton'...".Gimmee, gimmee..."
'Adolf H'..."Of Course, you have the resources...just do your job!"
'Varus'..."Oh S**t!"

Nothing changes, much...  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: flamingpig0 on 07 June 2020, 05:55:58 AM
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219599.My_Work_is_Not_Yet_Done

I read it just before every restructuring I have to go through
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: flamingpig0 on 21 July 2020, 08:50:45 AM
My attempt to get the phrase 'goat sucker' into a civil surface staff magazine was stymied.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: fsn on 21 July 2020, 09:04:57 AM
I used to work for a company that produced (amongst other things) computer terminals.

An engineer wrote on one page of the manual "thus page unintentionally left blank" and was both shocked and horrified to find it in the printed edition.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 21 July 2020, 10:26:48 AM
Big blue did that all the time !
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 21 July 2020, 04:55:09 PM
A friend worked in one of Robert Maxwell's publishing houses, the nasty man used to walk round, and at random, because he could, fire people.
One person he did that to was working on the China pages of an Atlas at the time, so his in-joke of 'Pu-Ding Basin' remained in...

The Day Maxwell died was the same week we lost Freddy Mercury, I was visiting Cambridge, and their Cinema was showing a double bill: "Drop Dead Fred" and "What About Bob?"
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: paulr on 21 July 2020, 08:07:41 PM
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 21 July 2020, 08:50:45 AM
My attempt to get the phrase 'goat sucker' into a civil surface staff magazine was stymied.

Perhaps a little over reach :-\

I developed a Weight Assessment Ranking Process that used a number of factors so managed to repeatedly use WARP factor in official government documentation :D
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: flamingpig0 on 21 July 2020, 08:38:36 PM
Quote from: paulr on 21 July 2020, 08:07:41 PM
Perhaps a little over reach :-

I developed a Weight Assessment Ranking Process that used a number of factors so managed to repeatedly use WARP factor in official government documentation :D

The Ordnance Survey had the Central Registry of Air Photos
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: fsn on 22 July 2020, 05:34:16 AM
In my days working for the MoD, we had the Force Recognised Tactical Picture - FRTP - AKA Fart-Pee.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: flamingpig0 on 22 July 2020, 04:47:11 PM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 21 July 2020, 04:55:09 PM
A friend worked in one of Robert Maxwell's publishing houses, the nasty man used to walk round, and at random, because he could, fire people.

His Wikipedia entry makes him even more alarming than one might have first thought
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Maxwell#Israeli_controversy
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 22 July 2020, 05:18:54 PM
And note his daughter too...
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 23 July 2020, 05:32:12 AM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 22 July 2020, 05:18:54 PM
And note his daughter too...

Guilty until bribed inocent ?
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 23 July 2020, 06:28:03 AM
What.. "She's" Maxwell's daughter ? :o

Hadn't taken that bit of info in. =)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 23 July 2020, 06:39:34 AM
She certainly  is
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Dave Fielder on 30 July 2020, 04:47:46 PM
A Senior manager on a Skype call today said: "She will be working as an orthogonal cross cutting insert". I am still puzzling that one out.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Raider4 on 30 July 2020, 05:30:46 PM
We had a Senior Vice-President of something-or-other speaking for five minutes on the CEO's worldwide monthly Zoom broadcast.

Didn't understand a sentence she said. So much bullshit-bingo.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 30 July 2020, 05:36:03 PM
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 30 July 2020, 04:47:46 PM
A Senior manager on a Skype call today said: "She will be working as an orthogonal cross cutting insert". I am still puzzling that one out.

Having been a "cross cutting asset" in my time, I presume she'll be working across varied teams, as required, on things that are not core to that team but are important to the project as a whole. I spent most of my time translating the things Team A asked/ told Team B into something Team B understood and vice versa for 5 separate teams.

Jack of all trades, master of none stuff. My forte :)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: flamingpig0 on 30 July 2020, 06:26:40 PM
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 30 July 2020, 04:47:46 PM
A Senior manager on a Skype call today said: "She will be working as an orthogonal cross cutting insert". I am still puzzling that one out.

The UK is increasingly like a comedy version of North Korea with authority figures spouting  nonsense based on  ideology that they don't really understand.  North Korea has Juche and we have business masters holders who studied at dodgy Universities.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: fsn on 30 July 2020, 07:34:59 PM
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 30 July 2020, 04:47:46 PM
A Senior manager on a Skype call today said: "She will be working as an orthogonal cross cutting insert". I am still puzzling that one out.
I think I saw some on the Minibits site.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 31 July 2020, 06:41:54 AM
 ;D ;D ;D ;D

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Last Hussar on 08 August 2020, 09:46:34 AM
I'm hoping now the Head of Department has left, my manager, in all other ways a lovely person, will stop her decent in to this.

Next meeting I intend to stop proceedings and point out I'm not actually sure what 'Bottom Out' means.

Can some one give Orcs a slap on the back - he appears to be choking.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 08 August 2020, 10:37:03 AM
Perhaps you could politely enquire what exactly "mooning" has to do with the subject at hand? ;)

In defence of "office speak" it is a very useful shorthand, providing all those in the conversation are familiar with the terms used.

And, yes, I have been guilty of suggesting, in meetings, that we should "stick to our knitting" or complained that customers are understandably sceptical when we don't "eat our own dog food" :)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Raider4 on 08 August 2020, 01:13:24 PM
If anyone ever dares to "touch base" with me I will be straight onto HR . . .
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 08 August 2020, 02:45:27 PM
Ok - At this moment in time we need a face to face thinking out of the box, leaving the envelpe, taking on board any new conceptualisations that we can brainstorm.

That is how you need to chat, but what is wrong with now, a meeting, we are NOT shipping, or aircraft btw brainstorm is now considered offensive.  :d :-*
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: mmcv on 08 August 2020, 04:31:37 PM
Quote from: Raider4 on 08 August 2020, 01:13:24 PM
If anyone ever dares to "touch base" with me I will be straight onto HR . . .

We have a director who is similarly disapproving of such Americanisms, but that just encourages the senior staff to use it all the more liberally...
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 08 August 2020, 04:38:56 PM
I've been very lucky, in this respect.....

When I worked in 'proper' jobs....The Post Office, and British Telecomm...there was none of this 'poop'.

Even at the Evil Empire in the late 80's early 90's the worst that ever happened was organising a meeting to have a meeting about a meeting...about 'something'.

Cheers - Phil. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 08 August 2020, 06:07:53 PM
By the time I worked for them British Telecom had become BT and they were a jargon factory. TLA*s and ETLA**s abounding.

*TLA - Three Letter Acronym

** ETLA - Extended Three Letter Acronym - i.e. a four letter acronym.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 09 August 2020, 06:34:24 AM
ONE of the nice things about making the wee men for Leon, is that  he's never once descended to this kind of stuff.  :)

(That's not a hint for you to start, Leon......I'll post it if you do !  ;D ;D ;D ;D)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 August 2020, 06:59:57 AM
Leon just has that terrible NE accent  ;)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 09:36:12 AM
Is he a knight that says NE?
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 August 2020, 09:44:48 AM
Wrong spelling FK - it's NIIII
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 09:56:36 AM
I'm an ignorant colonial, remember.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 09 August 2020, 10:06:10 AM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 09:56:36 AM
I'm an ignorant colonial, remember.

Don't sell yourself short, FK!

You're an ignorant post-colonial, surely.  :P ;) :) :) :)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 09 August 2020, 10:08:53 AM
Nah......It's probably the accent you've picked up in Bangkok, Alexander. ;)

Cheers - Phil :)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 August 2020, 10:32:54 AM
And you aren't a colonoal, Thialand is one the few bits West Europeans didna grab.....
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 10:56:41 AM
We Africans are grabbing it. In about five years, they'll all be speaking Afrikaans here!
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 09 August 2020, 11:01:56 AM
Bodwerised Dutch  :o
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Raider4 on 09 August 2020, 11:02:07 AM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 10:56:41 AM
We Africans are grabbing it. In about five years, they'll all be speaking Afrikaans here!

Which will make for most of sub-Sarahan Africa speaking Chinese then.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 03:19:45 PM
I think the saddest thing in African history is that there wasn't a massive influx of Ming colonists.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Orcs on 09 August 2020, 03:31:37 PM
Quote from: Raider4 on 08 August 2020, 01:13:24 PM
If anyone ever dares to "touch base" with me I will be straight onto HR . . .

I wouldn't mind my  ex-boss touching base with me.   :d
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 09 August 2020, 07:10:30 PM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 09 August 2020, 03:19:45 PM
I think the saddest thing in African history is that there wasn't a massive influx of Ming colonists.

Just a tiny trading presence down the Swahili coast.

The only verified Asian settlement in Africa that I'm aware of is Madagascar; where the locals exhibit a close match with Mahajapit Javan DNA.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Leon on 09 August 2020, 08:41:46 PM
Quote from: Techno on 09 August 2020, 06:34:24 AM
ONE of the nice things about making the wee men for Leon, is that  he's never once descended to this kind of stuff.  :)

I think if we take a helicopter view of things then there might be some low-hanging fruit that we can prioritise for future empowerment.  With that done we can drill down into the logistics of the situation and see if it's going to be scalable, allowing us to really leverage our assets and take it to the next level. 

In short, more sculpty-sculpty, casty-casty...
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Westmarcher on 09 August 2020, 09:41:00 PM
Quote from: Orcs on 09 August 2020, 03:31:37 PM
I wouldn't mind my  ex-boss touching base with me.   :d
It's a pity bromide laced tea is no longer available, Phil. What a nice present that would be for Orcs as a thank you for all of these nice band-aids he sent you.  ;)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 09 August 2020, 10:07:55 PM
Quote from: Leon on 09 August 2020, 08:41:46 PM
I think if we take a helicopter view of things then there might be some low-hanging fruit that we can prioritise for future empowerment.  With that done we can drill down into the logistics of the situation and see if it's going to be scalable, allowing us to really leverage our assets and take it to the next level. 

On the contrary Leon, I believe you should leverage your current synergies to bottom out your fiscal outflow thereby providing the fiscal stability to allow some blue sky thinking around the pros and cons of sticking to your knitting, at this time, or, going forward, to diversifying into synergistic product categories.

You might consider creating the posts of Senior Operations Director (Strategy) and Operations Deputy Director (Strategy).

Because you never know when odds and sods might be useful :)

Better still, have a nice cup of tea and a few minutes peace and quiet :) It would be well deserved!

Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 09 August 2020, 10:34:35 PM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 09 August 2020, 10:07:55 PM
On the contrary Leon, I believe you should leverage your current synergies to bottom out your fiscal outflow thereby providing the fiscal stability to allow some blue sky thinking around the pros and cons of sticking to your knitting, at this time, or, going forward, to diversifying into synergistic product categories.

You might consider creating the posts of Senior Operations Director (Strategy) and Operations Deputy Director (Strategy).

Because you never know when odds and sods might be useful :)

Better still, have a nice cup of tea and a few minutes peace and quiet :) It would be well deserved!



You guys are good BUT!

BZZZZZtttt: Repetition of fiscal (You'd never catch Derek Nimmo falling into that trap).

The real posts you need are: Senior Operations Director (Strategy) and Senior Strategy Director (Operations)
Let them fight and place bets.

Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Ithoriel on 10 August 2020, 12:04:50 AM
Ah! But fiscal outflow is the purview of Finance (Supplier Management) while fiscal stability makes it a matter for Finance (Accounting) and one needs full engagement with the process by all those with a dog in the fight .... and, as you so ably point out with your suggested job titles, how can you have a fight if there are no competing vested interests? And one needs full and frank discussion of all issues to ensure we are all singing from the same hymn sheet :)

I did work briefly with a bloke from a client's R&D arm whose job title was Vice-President Blue Sky Thinking who's job seemed mainly to consist of thinking of potentially Darwin Award winning uses for their products so their legal team could draft warnings not to do them. You know, "don't trim your beard with the lawnmower" type stuff.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 10 August 2020, 12:35:57 AM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 10 August 2020, 12:04:50 AM

I did work briefly with a bloke from a client's R&D arm whose job title was Vice-President Blue Sky Thinking whose job seemed mainly to consist of thinking of potentially Darwin Award winning uses for their products so their legal team could draft warnings not to do them. You know, "don't trim your beard with the lawnmower" type stuff.

Urgent - copy to Phil!
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 10 August 2020, 06:06:28 AM
 X_X
Quote from: Westmarcher on 09 August 2020, 09:41:00 PM
It's a pity bromide laced tea is no longer available, Phil. What a nice present that would be for Orcs as a thank you for all of these nice band-aids he sent you.  ;)

;D ;D ;D ;D

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Orcs on 10 August 2020, 10:49:44 AM
Quote from: Westmarcher on 09 August 2020, 09:41:00 PM
It's a pity bromide laced tea is no longer available, Phil. What a nice present that would be for Orcs as a thank you for all of these nice band-aids he sent you.  ;)

I do drink bromide laced tea - Think what i would be like without it !!

Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 10 August 2020, 11:37:13 AM
God forbid !!!  :(
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Westmarcher on 10 August 2020, 11:51:13 AM
 :o   Lock up your daughters!  And your sheep!
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Smoking gun on 10 August 2020, 11:54:03 AM
I remember one of my colleagues in a jargon filled meeting saying to the senior manager "The pigs are fuelled and lined up ready for take off!". It took a little while for that to be processed and when it was the meeting was quickly terminated and we went back to our proper work. :)

Best wishes,
Martin
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 10 August 2020, 02:48:12 PM
I frequently use " Pig Squadron to control, landing permision #" it is a good un.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 10 August 2020, 02:49:34 PM
There is another urgent request to Phil, Winged Pigs  ;D
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: hammurabi70 on 10 August 2020, 02:51:15 PM
Quote from: Leon on 09 August 2020, 08:41:46 PM
I think if we take a helicopter view of things then there might be some low-hanging fruit that we can prioritise for future empowerment.  With that done we can drill down into the logistics of the situation and see if it's going to be scalable, allowing us to really leverage our assets and take it to the next level. 

In short, more sculpty-sculpty, casty-casty...

I thought the whole idea of trying to pick low-hanging fruit is that you do not need to have a helicopter to pick them; using one might be a recipe for disaster.  :D  8)
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 11 August 2020, 07:10:37 AM
Quote from: ianrs54 on 10 August 2020, 02:49:34 PM
There is another urgent request to Phil, Winged Pigs  ;D

Bog off, Ian !  ;D ;D ;D

I've finished three of the fantasy bears, now.....Now just two simple conversions to do.  ;)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 11 August 2020, 08:47:20 AM
NO  Phil
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: FierceKitty on 11 August 2020, 08:52:36 AM
High time we got a couple of new Eagle warriors, Cuachicqueh, Huaxtecs, and slingers!
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: mmcv on 11 August 2020, 09:03:28 AM
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 August 2020, 08:52:36 AM
High time we got a couple of new Eagle warriors, Cuachicqueh, Huaxtecs, and slingers!

No no we need some Tarascans, Chichimec and Mayans! Maybe some Zapotec, Mixtec, Chinantec... Just all the -ecs.

Then there's the Inca...
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 11 August 2020, 01:20:01 PM
Those bloody mezo americans again - FLYIN G PIGS NEEDED NOW
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 11 August 2020, 02:14:56 PM
Mapuche
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 14 August 2020, 06:31:22 AM
Quote from: ianrs54 on 11 August 2020, 01:20:01 PM
Those bloody mezo americans again - FLYIN G PIGS NEEDED NOW

Hang on......So what are all these "odd" requests ?
Fantasy and 'normal' bears. (Done...though Leon hasn't got the masters of the fantasy  ones yet.)

Wombles with AK 47's

Flying pigs.....(Might be a bit of a sod to cast those as a one piece.) :-\

Armoured ducks ?.....(Or something to do with ducks. ?)

Have I forgotten anything else ?

Cheers - Phil ;)

Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: mmcv on 14 August 2020, 08:16:48 AM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 11 August 2020, 02:14:56 PM
Mapuche

Bless you.

But also yes.

And all the North Americans took.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: chrishanley on 04 September 2020, 09:27:03 PM
Back in the day when I had a proper job "office speak" was in common parlance among the higher management. My colleague and I would play what we called Bull**** Bingo. Pre-meeting, we would each secretly write five corporate phrases and tick them off during proceedings as they were uttered. If you got a full house your next contribution to the meeting had to incorporate the word bingo. I cannot claim the fiscal benefit was improved by our behavior, but it did make meetings, which took minutes and wasted hours go a little quicker.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: hammurabi70 on 04 September 2020, 11:36:20 PM
Quote from: chrishanley on 04 September 2020, 09:27:03 PM
Back in the day when I had a proper job "office speak" was in common parlance among the higher management. My colleague and I would play what we called Bull**** Bingo. Pre-meeting, we would each secretly write five corporate phrases and tick them off during proceedings as they were uttered. If you got a full house your next contribution to the meeting had to incorporate the word bingo. I cannot claim the fiscal benefit was improved by our behavior, but it did make meetings, which took minutes and wasted hours go a little quicker.

I used to amuse myself by getting obscure words into my Board reports.  Well, they were all supposed to be very clever and erudite individuals, which they were.  I got told off once for doing it and I considered that a great success, giving myself a high-five while demonstrating repentance and a promise not to do it again.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 05 September 2020, 11:36:58 AM
Quote from: Techno on 14 August 2020, 06:31:22 AM
Hang on......So what are all these "odd" requests ?
Fantasy and 'normal' bears. (Done...though Leon hasn't got the masters of the fantasy  ones yet.)

Wombles with AK 47's

Flying pigs.....(Might be a bit of a sod to cast those as a one piece.) :-

Armoured ducks ?.....(Or something to do with ducks. ?)

Have I forgotten anything else ?

Cheers - Phil ;)



One presumes the fantasy bears are the ones with the enormous shoulder-pads.
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Techno on 05 September 2020, 12:07:05 PM
Well....Not enormous.....But they do have shoulder 'armour'......and other bits. =)

Cheers - Phil :D
Title: Re: Acceptable office speak
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 05 September 2020, 03:10:07 PM
Still need flying pigs   ;)