Business Buzzwords

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Buzzwords, like paperwork and bad coffee, are an inevitable part of American business life. In addition to the steady stream of nouns that have become verbs through the addition of "ize" (e.g., globalize, prioritize, systematize), here are a few euphemisms you are likely to encounter on your way up the corporate ladder.

• Zero tolerance?an engineering phrase that has crept into day-to-day management ethics; it means "we ain?t gonna take it"
• Direct banking?a euphemism for automated banking that lacks human interaction
• Mission statement?a list of the company?s lofty goals, such as "valuing the customer first" and
• "taking pride in our product" that usually translates into a single phrase: "make more money"
• Adhocracy?teams form across departmental lines to solve problems or capture opportunities
• Value-added?an employee who toes the company?s party line and benefits the company financially
• Proactive?an employee who looks for new tasks and shows initiative