Benchmark
A corporate euphemism for "comparing ourselves to people who are actually good" that makes mediocrity sound like competitive analysis, usually used to justify why we're not as terrible as we could be.
Corporate Buzzword Dictionary
Decode business jargon with satirical definitions and related terms. Browse 1,157 entries — page 3 of 29.
Best of breed
A pretentious way to say "the best" that somehow makes you sound less confident. If you're truly the best, just say it without the unnecessary canine metaphor.
Best practice
A supposedly superior way of doing something that everyone talks about but no one actually follows, usually because it's too expensive or time-consuming.
Best regards
The corporate email equivalent of "thoughts and prayers" - a polite way to end a message that means absolutely nothing and is used by everyone.
Best-in-class
The best example of something, which is usually just the only example you've seen.
Bias mitigation
Efforts to reduce unfair bias in AI systems, ensuring algorithms don't discriminate against certain groups.
Big bang for the buck
A sleazy salesperson's way of promising maximum value with minimum investment, usually while hiding the fact that you're getting exactly what you pay for.
Big bet
A significant investment or strategic decision with high potential returns but also high risk of failure.
Big bet
A major investment in something that will either make you rich or bankrupt, with no middle ground.
Big rock
A major project that will consume all your time and probably fail, but at least it sounds important.
Bite the bullet
Do something unpleasant but necessary.
Bleeding Edge
Describes the newest, most innovative product, idea, or technology.
Bleeding edge
Technology or ideas that are so new and untested that they're likely to cause more problems than they solve, but sound impressive in presentations.
Blessing
Approval from someone in authority.
Blocking and tackling
Basic tasks required to get work done.
Blue Sky Thinking
A corporate euphemism for "wasting time on impossible ideas" that makes pointless brainstorming sound like innovative strategy, usually followed by doing nothing because the ideas are completely unrealistic.
Blue ocean
A new, competition-free market space.
Blue sky thinking
Creative brainstorming without constraints.
Blue-sky thinking
Imagining solutions to problems that don't exist while ignoring the actual problems that do exist.
Boil it down
To simplify something complex, which usually means removing all the important details.
Boil the Ocean
A corporate euphemism for "trying to do everything at once" that makes poor planning sound like ambitious strategy, usually used when someone wants to avoid making actual decisions.
Boil the ocean
An impossible task that sounds impressive but is actually just a fancy way of saying 'we have no idea what we're doing.'
Boil the ocean
An impossible task that sounds impressive but is actually just a fancy way of saying 'we have no idea what we're doing.'
Brain Dump
Writing down all ideas quickly, often during or after a brainstorming session.
Brain dump
Putting all the thoughts in your head onto paper or sharing knowledge quickly.
Brain dump
To share all your random thoughts at once because organizing them would require actual effort.
Brain surgery
A phrase used to dismiss complex tasks as simple, usually by people who have never performed brain surgery and underestimate both the task and actual brain surgery.
Break down silos
A corporate euphemism for "force people to work together" that makes organizational dysfunction sound like a strategic initiative, usually followed by creating 47 new committees that don't actually communicate.
Brick and mortar
Physical business locations that exist in the real world, as opposed to the digital realm where most corporate buzzwords are born and thrive.
Bring to the table
To contribute something valuable, usually used when someone wants to sound important but doesn't actually have anything useful to offer.
Broken record
A corporate euphemism for "annoying" that makes repetitive behavior sound like a communication strategy, usually used by people who keep saying the same thing because nobody is listening.
Buckets
A corporate euphemism for "categories" that makes basic organization sound like sophisticated analysis, usually used when people want to sound smart about putting things in groups.
Business as usual (BAU)
The way things have always been done, which is usually the problem we're trying to solve.
Business case
The reasoning for why something makes business sense.
Business driver
Something that supposedly motivates business decisions, which is usually just the CEO's mood.
Business hygiene
Keeping your business clean and organized, which is great until you realize it's impossible.
Buy now pay later
A payment method that allows customers to purchase items and pay for them in installments over time.
Buy-in
Getting people to pretend they support your terrible idea so they can't blame you when it fails, which it inevitably will.
Buy-in
Getting people to pretend they support your terrible idea so they can't blame you when it fails.
COB
Close of business, usually 5:00 PM.