Round tables and fireside chats

Corporate America loves jargon. What is basic common sense stuff takes on a life of its own when people start yammering lingo to sound important.

You see a preponderance of Corporate Round Tables to discuss matters of import with some other hacks who think they have profound things to share about whatever.

First - do they actually sit at a round table? Chances are unless they are in a Chinese restaurant with a lazy Susan on the table it is not going to be a round table. There may well be a lazy Susan in attendance but again not at a round table.

Most discussions in my experience were at a rectangle. The idea for tables to be round was to ensure equal status at the discussion. But today's world is inflated with multiple egos and people have quickly decide to switch to rectangles to exert power. Hence we get head of table and other distractions.

Next comes fireside chats. If matters spill over from said tables referenced above there is a need to have sidebars. Said sidebars are now taking the form of arm chair punditry conducted at some kind of a fire event. Again it sounds important. It is not. No one in their right mind is lighting fires to have a conversation.

Say what you have to say and move on clown!

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