Common Business Phrases & What They Really Mean
1. A Program – Any assignment that can’t be completed by one telephone call.
2. Action is being taken – Your correspondence is lost and we are still trying to locate it.
3. Copy to – Here’s a share of the headache.
4. Essentially complete – It’s half done.
5. Expedite – To confound confusion with commotion.
6. Let’s Get Together on this – I’m assuming you’re as confused as I am.
7. Not well defined at this time – Nobody’s even thought about it.
8. Coordinator – Me…the guy who has a desk between two expeditor’s.
9. For your immediate action – Do it NOW! Or we’ll all get into trouble.
10. For your information, please (FYI) – We don’t know what to do with this, so please keep it.
11. Give Us the Benefit of Your Present Thinking – We’ll listen to what you have to say as long as it doesn’t interfere with what we’ve already decided to do.
12. It is in process – So wrapped up in red tape that the situation is almost hopeless.
13. Note and Initial – Let’s spread the responsibility for this.
14. Requires further analysis and management attention – Totally out of control!
15. Serious but not insurmountable problems – It’ll take a miracle.
16. Will advise you in due course – If we figure it out, we’ll let you know.
17. Your letter is receiving our attention – We are still trying to figure out what you want.