Name That Phrase
This expression means that an argument or proposal survives serious questioning.
hold water
Before approving the proposal, Finance needs to know whether the numbers _____ up.
stack
People are discussing a useful issue, but it does not need to be decided today.
Let’s park that for now.
A proposal is logical, but it does not yet meet the standard for approval.
Use:
“The proposal holds water because the logic is clear and the expected benefit is realistic. However, it does not clear the bar for approval yet because we still need stronger evidence on cost and implementation.”
The name of this toy company comes from two Danish words meaning “play well.”
LEGO
This is the main unresolved issue preventing agreement or progress.
a sticking point
The idea is promising, but it still needs to clear the _____.
bar
Participants have different understandings of the purpose of the discussion.
Let’s get everyone on the same page.
A company wants to introduce a new system, but nobody has clearly defined the problem it is supposed to solve.
Use:
“The core problem is that the company is proposing a solution before clearly defining what needs to be fixed. The key takeaway is that the team should first identify the specific business problem and then judge whether this system is the right response.”
The name of this furniture company combines:
IKEA
IKEA stands for Ingvar Kamprad, Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd
A project does this when it begins to attract support, interest, or momentum.
gain traction
We can reduce the risk by putting _____ in place before the pilot begins.
guardrails
The group has almost agreed, but the exact decision is still vague.
Let’s pin this down.
A faster process would improve customer response time, but it would increase the workload for another team.
Use:
“The main trade-off is between improving customer response time and increasing the workload for another team. The decision-relevant detail is whether the additional workload can be absorbed without causing delays or reducing quality elsewhere.”
This company was founded in Kyoto in 1889, long before video games existed. Its original product was Japanese playing cards.
Nintendo
This means securing the final approval or commitment needed to complete something.
get it over the line
A small trial could give the company a foot in the _____.
door
The conversation has moved away from the decision and into unnecessary detail.
Let’s bring this back to the main question.
Someone claims that implementation difficulty proves the proposal itself is weak.
Use:
“I’d push back on that slightly. We need to distinguish between a weak proposal and an idea that simply requires careful implementation.”
Before becoming associated with mobile phones and telecommunications, this Finnish company started as a pulp and paper manufacturer.
Nokia
This means creating a noticeable or meaningful improvement in results.
move the needle
The decision _____ on whether the new process actually saves time.
hinges
The meeting is ending without an owner, action, or deadline.
Before we wrap things up, let’s confirm who does what by when.
A pilot is attracting support, but leadership wants safeguards before giving final approval.
Use:
“The pilot is beginning to gain traction, but we still need to put guardrails in place around cost and ownership. That would make it easier to get the proposal over the line.”
This global electronics company began in South Korea in 1938 as a grocery trading store.
Samsung