Definition

To casually suggest ideas without thorough analysis, like throwing things at a wall to see what sticks. The opposite of rigorous strategic planning, yet somehow equally valued in meetings.

Example Usage

Let me just spitball a few ideas here: what if we pivot to blockchain-enabled sneakers?

Origin

From the schoolyard practice of shooting paper spitballs, applied to brainstorming in the mid-20th century

Fun Fact

Spitballing often produces more actionable ideas than formal strategy sessions costing thousands of dollars.

Source: Creative ideation terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

corporate

As a noun in business jargon, refers to anything produced by or for a corporation's internal consumption—like training videos that make you question your will to live or bonds that fund expansion plans. It's become shorthand for the soul-crushing aesthetic of beige conference rooms and stock photo diversity. When something is described as "very corporate," it's never a compliment; it means sanitized, risk-averse, and optimized for maximum inoffensiveness.

💼 Corporate / Business
Beginner

inbox zero

The practice of keeping your email inbox empty or nearly empty at all times, achieving temporary peace of mind before the next email arrives 30 seconds later. A Sisyphean task disguised as productivity.

💼 Corporate / Business
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Best Practice

Something another company did once that worked and has now become an unquestionable commandment carved in corporate stone. The adult version of "but mom, everyone else is doing it."

💼 Corporate / Business
Beginner

hallmark

A distinguishing feature that screams 'this is definitely the real deal' or 'made by someone who knows what they're doing.' Originally the official stamp proving your gold was actually gold and not just shiny brass, now it's any characteristic that defines quality or authenticity. It's the marker of legitimacy, whether on precious metals or in describing someone's distinctive style.

💼 Corporate / Business
Beginner

meeting fatigue

The soul-crushing exhaustion from back-to-back video calls and pointless meetings that could have been emails. It's the modern workplace disease where your calendar is 100% booked but you've accomplished approximately nothing.

💼 Corporate / Business
Intermediate

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent)

A metric that converts various part-time, contract, and temporary workers into full-time employee units for headcount purposes. The mathematical fiction that makes your understaffed team look adequately resourced on spreadsheets.

💼 Corporate / Business

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