seagull management

Definition

A leadership style where executives fly in, make noise, dump criticism on everything, then leave while others clean up the mess. Involves zero context and maximum disruption.

Example Usage

The regional VP practices seagull management—shows up quarterly, declares everything wrong, then disappears for three months.

Origin

Management humor from the 1980s-90s, attributed to various sources

Fun Fact

Seagull managers often take credit for improvements that happen in their absence, since they're not around long enough to see the damage they cause.

Source: Management and organizational culture terminology

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