Disqus - Latest Comments for Steve

Re: What Can I Do To Get More Discussion Going at KnowHR Blog?

Steve — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:54:50 -0000

OK, I’ll come out of lurker mode and comment….

I’m not in the HR biz but I enjoy reading your posts (I especially liked your 9/14 post on thinking errors – and by extension those very errors are leveraged in creating and propagating arguments based fallacious reasoning). Since this is your HR blog I refrain from posting comments since they would not be in or from the HR context. So I’ll continue to read your posts but rarely if ever comment here…BTW this is a great blog. (It’s all about affirmation baby, affirmation)

Returning to lurker mode….

Re: Business Slang: Socialize

Steve — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 10:46:36 -0000

I’m sorry this word would evoke such feeling as to doom someone to POTC:Dead Man’s Chest for all eternity. While I would not like to endure that fate I believe there are contexts in which this word is most fitting.

For example, if I have an idea and I want to familiarize my team with it implies that the idea is complete and the members of the team are expected learn and understand it not offer suggestions, change, provide input, etc. The idea has already been decided. However, if I want to socialize an idea, and this is my interpretation only, only the very outline or concept of the idea is formed. I would want and expect from the team input, suggestions, objections, etc. to improve and refine the idea (or the ‘trial balloon’, ‘flag pole’, ‘swimming pool’, et al. horrendous euphemisms that the cool kids use). Familiarization is a passive activity (I expect the team to learn it) whereas socialization is an active activity (I am responsible to teach it). It is in that teaching that the idea may undergo some changes and or modifications that may aid in its adoption or rejection. But then again, in the end, isn’t that what socialization is all about, learning and adapting to fit into society…

If there is another word out there that would describe the activity of going out within the organization to promote a new idea and work for its adoption (that isn’t ‘idea champion’, ‘change agent’, etc.) I would be interested in what that would be. Just so long as it doesn't mean I need to sit through any Leonard Part 6 until the cows come home...

Thanks for the post Sarah! The discussion of language is alway intriguing.

Re: Business Slang: Top 10 Spoiled Sports Sayings

Steve — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:53:09 -0000

I’m going to go to the mat here and say you knocked this one outta the park, it was a grand slam. In fact, you can take your victory lap now if you would like. But hey, time out here...I don’t think that these should necessarily be down for the count. To spike these out of hand is almost unsportsmanlike…upon further review these word or phrases may serve to rally the team. These may not be by the book but in the world today it seems that the business world would like to equate itself more with the scrum than the boardroom. The ‘reinforcement’ of that image is to utilize the terminology from that arena. Maybe benchwarmers like me can relate and feel a part of the team (or not) when we get sent to the minors. Well my response is coming down to the wire here but I would like to thank everyone who gave me this opportunity…you know I’m just taking it one day at a time…making the best of my abilities…because there is no I in team…had enough…I’ve got a million of ‘em…

Parting shot, as with all words overuse of them makes them useless. At one time there may have been (or may still be) a time a place where the sports imagery to capture or convey a certain thought is appropriate but not in every other sentence. Are we reading out of the same playbook with this one?

One final note, in our company we don’t do ballpark project estimates…even better we now do “T-shirt sizings” if that doesn’t get my knickers in a twist…