BHAG

Definition

Big Hairy Audacious Goal—an ambitious, decade-spanning objective that's supposed to inspire organizations but often just inspires confusion and burnout. Pronounced 'bee-hag' by people who enjoy making business sound like a fantasy game.

Example Usage

Our BHAG is to triple revenue by 2030, though nobody's quite sure how we'll do that while the CEO keeps cutting headcount.

Origin

Introduced in Jim Collins and Jerry Porras's 1994 book 'Built to Last'

Fun Fact

Companies with successful BHAGs include Boeing's goal to build a jumbo jet in the 1960s, though not every BHAG works out—just ask Sears.

Source: Strategic planning and management literature

Related Terms

Intermediate

iso

The prefix that makes everything sound more official and standardized, as in ISO certifications that prove your company follows internationally agreed-upon rules. Also tech slang for 'isolation' or disk image files. Basically, it's shorthand for 'we're doing this by the book (the international book).'

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

allocation

The corporate art of dividing limited resources (usually budget, headcount, or meeting room access) among competing departments who all believe they deserve more. It's basically the business equivalent of splitting a pizza among hungry siblings, except the stakes involve quarterly targets and someone's probably going to complain to HR. The process rarely pleases everyone and typically involves several spreadsheets and at least one passive-aggressive email chain.

💼 Corporate / Business

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convene

The formal way of saying "let's all get together for a meeting," typically used when someone wants to sound official about assembling a group. It's what happens when calling everyone into a conference room needs gravitas, usually for government bodies, boards, or people who love Robert's Rules of Order. Basically, it's corporate speak for "everyone get in here."

💼 Corporate / Business

Intermediate

White glove

Premium, high-touch service typically reserved for important clients, as if your company is a fancy butler. Everyone else gets the regular gloves, or no gloves at all.

💼 Corporate / Business

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circle the wagons

Adopting a defensive posture against external threats, inspired by pioneers who probably didn't actually do this but makes corporate defensiveness sound frontier-tough.

💼 Corporate / Business

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Run rate

A projection of annual revenue based on current performance, assuming nothing changes ever—which it always does. Financial crystal ball gazing disguised as analysis.

💼 Corporate / Business

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