Guesswork

One of my hobbies, along with falconry and barking at the mailman, is coining neologisms that don’t catch on (I was this close - holding up thumb and index finger very close together - to coming up with microcelebrity, which I think has a real shot.) My latest concept in that vein is a quicker, easier way of defining one’s place in a corporate hierarchy.

Right now, it’s easy to talk about your own immediate superior, but gets more confusing the further up the org chart you go - “S/he’s my boss’ boss/my boss’ boss’ boss/my 5th level up manager/the King of All France etc.” I propose simplifying the taxonomy by adopting the usage of family relationships. For example, my 2nd boss up would be my grand-boss, third up the chain would be my great-grand-boss, etc etc. That’s the basics but the principle could easily be extended further - my spouse’s manager is my boss-in-law, and an executive who is a peer of my own manager would be my uncle or auntie-boss. Dotted-line relationships would be described as step-bosses.

I throw this idea out for the free use of corporate cogs and HR departments everywhere. Just remember you heard it here first.

Update: I just googled “grandboss” and found that I’m not as original as I thought, which is disappointing but not surprising because on sober second thought it is kind of obvious. However, I did arrive at the idea independently and I don’t see anyone extending it out to its logical conclusion as elegantly as I have, so I’m keeping credit.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS