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"Headwinds" Catch a Tailwind
On page 1 of today's WSJ, Dionne Searcey tags a great business buzzword -- "headwinds."
"Headwinds" has long functioned as a staple of internal business plan presentations. It usually headlines Slide #3, following the title slide and the agenda slide, and its purpose is to make it clear early on that the external forces are very, very difficult.
Jack Flack actually likes the "headwinds" metaphor. Unlike most buzzwords, it is actually clear, simple and accurately descriptive.
But so is "tailwinds," which Searcey points out does not get nearly the same play from CEOs.
Why?
Easy. When things are going well, it's the product of smart management, wise investing, solid strategy and great execution. When things start to sour, it's obviously the product of something out of management's control.
Stanley Bing offers four nice alternatives, and Jack Flack endorses option #3 -- "Monkey Meat."
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