For abbreviations, see List of business and finance abbreviations.

The following terms are in everyday use in financial regions, such as commercial business and the management of large organisations such as corporations.

Noun phrases

Noun phraseDefinition
30,000 foot viewProgram management view
50,000 foot viewHighest management overview
BandwidthAvailability[1]
BenchmarkMeasuring against
Bespoke solutiona solution to a problem one has that is 'tailor-made' (allegedly)
Best practiceTried and tested methodology/process
Blue sky thinkingIdealistic or visionary ideas, not always with practical application (source: BBC)
BottleneckWhere a process is held up
CascadeArray of possible actions to take in response to a problem: protocol
Check in the boxComplete the task
Cross-functionalWorks in multiple directions simultaneously
Customer-centricThe customer is the main focus
Cutting edge practicesUp to date or new methods
DashboardCollection of key indicators
Data MoatLarge amounts of data acquired by an organization that can be harvested for sustainable, differentiating competitive advantage.[2]
Deliverable(s)Finished product or outcome
DownsizeReduce the number of employees through a lay-off
End-user perspectivePoint of view of a customer about a product or service
EvergreenContent that is always relevant[1]
Flavour of the monthThe current popular or trending activity
Golden handshakeContract clause which richly rewards a key employee in the case of termination
Golden parachuteContract clause richly (perhaps excessively) rewarding a key executive if termination is due to corporate takeover or merger
Hard stopDeadline[1]
HubA central idea to which other ideas are linked
In the loopKnowing what's going on and being kept informed
In the weedsImmersed or entangled in details or complexities
Joined-up thinkingDiscussing the viewpoints of each organization and coming to an agreement or compromise
Lay-offRedundancies on a large scale
LearningsAcquired knowledge after an action/actions or process/processes has been completed
Low-hanging fruitTasks that have the greatest positive effect for the least effort, used when promoting new projects to show the advantages.[1]
NestingProcesses within processes
Off the shelfBuying in a product or service that is already completed
One button to push/Push of a buttonReduced number of suppliers
Operational excellenceSustainable improvement of key performance metrics
PythonChallenging problem[1]
Raft of measuresA collection of proposals or schemes
RattlerObvious problem[1]
Run it up the flagpoleTest the popularity of a new idea or proposal. [3]
ScalabilityA small component's ability to grow within a larger system[1]
Silo (Vertical and Horizontal)A system, process, department, etc. that operates in isolation from others.
Silver bulletOne solution for everything[dubious – discuss]
Six SigmaA system for process improvement by error reduction
StakeholdersGroup or individual affected by the outcome of a decision
TalentEmployees
Tent poleThe task or item most likely to delay a project or consume the most resources
Under-pinningThe foundations of an idea, which helps another related scheme or proposal
Unique selling proposition (USP)Any aspect of an object that differentiates it from similar objects
Win-win solutionProviding a product or service which makes everyone happy, particularly both buyer and seller

Verb phrases

Verb phraseDefinition
Action thatPut something into practice[1]
Baked inSomething which has been "baked in" is implied to be impossible to remove. Alternatively, "baked in" can refer to a desirable, although non-essential, property of a product being incorporated for the user's convenience.
Boil the oceanUndertake an impossible or impractical task [1]
Buck the trendTo follow an action against market tendencies
Build capacityTake actions which increase the amount of work that can be done in the future.
Circle backDiscuss later[1]
Circle the wagonsDefensive strategy to provide time to plan or produce a better solution
Cover all directions of the compassEnsure the product specification covers everything
Create the storyboardOutline what the solution will look like
Deep diveGet into the detail
Drill downInvestigate in depth [1]
Flogging a dead horseWasting efforts[1]
Have the vendor in our pocketKeep a vendor/contractors paid
IdeateCome up with ideas[1]
Land and expandTo sell a small solution and then grow it within the client's environment
Make hayProductive or successful in a short time[1]
Moving forwardMaking progress on an idea or scheme
Move the goal postsChange the criteria for success[1]
Pick the low-hanging fruitGo (initially) for the easiest options [1]
Power to the elbowGet additional backup information to make your case stronger
Pull the plugClose a venture that is losing money or has no prospects of success
PuntRelinquish responsibility[1]
Pushing the envelopeGoing outside normal boundaries to achieve a target or goal (such as exceeding specifications)
Put this on your radarConsider this[1]
Scrub the numbersFind errors[1]
Sing from the same hymn sheetShow a united front, or everyone understanding and saying the same thing to clientele.
Table the conversationReconvene at a later time[1]
Test the water'Put your toe' into a market to determine its temperature.
Touch baseTo meet up with a colleague to discuss progress (from baseball)
Touch base offlineMeet and talk[1]
Tranch up the workloadDivide responsibilities[1]
Trim the fatCut excess budgets, remove avoidable costs [1]
Unscramble that eggTake care of that mess[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ Alisa Wolfson (June 23, 2017). "18 obnoxious things that everyone in the office should stop saying". Moneyish.com / Dow Jones & Company.
  2. ^ "What is a Data Moat?"
  3. ^ "Flagpole". Oxford Dictionary. lexico.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.