Blue sky thinking

Definition

Ideation unconstrained by practical limitations like budgets, reality, or physics. Where you pretend anything is possible before constraints murder your dreams.

Example Usage

In our blue sky thinking session, we imagined a perfect product before remembering we have neither time nor money.

Origin

Creative thinking methodology from the 1980s

Fun Fact

Blue sky thinking sessions always end with someone saying 'but realistically...' and crushing everyone's soul.

Source: Innovation and creativity terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

implements

To actually execute or put into practice something that previously existed only in PowerPoint slides and strategic planning documents. It's the moment when corporate strategy meets reality and discovers that theory and practice are two very different things. The gap between 'we decided to implement this' and 'we successfully implemented this' is where consultants make their living.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

strategic

The corporate buzzword slapped onto anything that sounds remotely important or long-term, because saying something is "strategic" makes it immune to criticism. In military contexts, it actually means relating to overall war planning rather than individual battles; in business, it means whatever the PowerPoint says it means.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

incentivise

The corporate art of dangling carrots to make people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do, typically through bonuses, perks, or the promise of not being fired. It's management's favorite verb when they need results but don't want to address systemic issues. Because nothing says 'we value you' like a gift card to incentivise better performance.

💼 Corporate / Business

Intermediate

four eyes principle

A control mechanism requiring two people to approve a decision or action, reducing errors and fraud. It's the corporate trust fall where you literally can't do anything alone.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

stretch goal

An ambitious target unlikely to be achieved, set by managers who won't face consequences for the inevitable failure but will claim credit if it somehow succeeds.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

Deliverable

Something you promised to deliver but that shapeshifts in scope every time a stakeholder breathes near it. Started as a simple report, ends as a full-blown interactive dashboard with AI-powered insights and a mission statement.

💼 Corporate / Business

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