Bureaucratic Jargon Dictionary

A collection of terms we use because we have to, not because we mean to.

Term of the Moment

Perpetual Motion Item (PMI)

A meeting that could have been an email, but was not.

See more PMIs

Related Definitions

Bureaucratic Red Tape (BRT)

A metaphorical representation of the time and energy spent navigating our departmental hierarchy.

Learn more BRT

Euphemistic Management Speak (EMS)

A phrase that means the exact opposite of what it says, but is still used because it sounds nice.

Understand EMS better

Examples of Bureaucratic Jargon

The meeting on "Synergy and Cross-Functional Team-Building" was a PMI.

The new policy is just a BRT to the old policy.

The CEO said we need to "think outside the box" when really he meant we should just do what he says.