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By Civil Service World
09 Feb 2017
Civil Service World's regular guide to the very best in Whitehallese
A meaningless term that escaped from the world of HR and is used to prove that whatever you do, however you do it, you’re Doing It Wrong.
Succession planning Put the ad on Civil Service Jobs and pray that someone who is at least mildly competent applies
Please Deal Your chance to do all the work by yourself. See also – “empowerment”
Timing: routine Feel free to shuffle this to the bottom of the pile
Timing: Urgent Honestly, no rush on this one – but it’d be nice to get it back at some point
Timing: immediate This is now desperately overdue. Why on earth haven’t you already treated it with the urgency it deserves?
To submit your own examples of Whitehallese, email editorial@civilserviceworld.com. Visit civilservant.org.uk for more of the best civil service jargon
More in the series: Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. I) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 2) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 3) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 4) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 5) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 6) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 7) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 8) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 9) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 10) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 11) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 12) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 13) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 14) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 15) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 16) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 17) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 18) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 19) Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 20)
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