Monday, August 22, 2005

"Stake in the Ground" - Corporate Lingo - 1

I am starting a series where we would explore the currently “IN” phrases at work

This post features the omni-present phrase “Stake in the Ground”

Now-a-days, ranging from fresh college hires to the Big Bosses, almost everyone has been putting all kinds of stakes in every possible ground. I thought I would do some scholarly research on this phrase, but then decided to leave that for Chintu.

Interpreting it literally, I imagine a medieval warrior (of the leader types) furiously and ferociously forcing a stake through the ground and shouting expletives at the enemy.

In corporate America context, I imagine someone banging the table loud enough to attract everyone else’s attention (shutting them up in the process) and make loud but not necessarily logical statements. Softening it even further, I would guess it means taking a firm position on an issue / assuming ownership etc. etc.

Examples:

I am putting a stake in the ground, and we will send popcorns with our offers”

Let us put our stake in the ground, before they put their stake in the ground”

In fact I heard an Indian dude (I won’t reveal identity) saying:
“We will put our stick in the ground”

Well, to give it to him – stick can serve same purpose as stake – just look for a stick with sharp edge (or may be find a soft ground)


I Wish:

When the CRE folks had come to throw us out of the field, Mamu should have confronted them, actually put a real stake in the ground and should have declared “We will play Cricket”

To rub salt, we should have used those stakes as Cricket wickets.

6 comments:

Karthik said...

/_/_/_

This was the "You are God" symbol in IIT. Imagine a chap putting his hands out straight up and then bending down repeatedly. :P

Trust R2 to start it off in style.

I loved the examples, esp the popcorn. ;)

K

Karthik said...

I think "Stake in the ground" just means marking out your territory.

Basically, long ago when you didn't have to pay 5 times your income for real estate I am sure people marked their territory by just driving stakes in the ground.

I am most interested in knowing who the steak chap was :)

K

Golu said...

Ok Duh/Kram/Chintu/K3 you are supposed to inform others when such blogs are started and shamelessly popularize them.

BTW RP watsup!!! Just keep hearing abt u thru Duh.

Now coming to the blog:) totally loved it. I shall keep checking this regularly to 'learn more corporate lingo'.

I think this is this the 'pseud' version of desis saying "Jhanda gaadh dena". So I think I agree with Ravi. Duh if you wanted to mark your territory, rather than wasting money on stakes, you would get a huuuuuuuge scary dog and ask him to go about peeing.

Waise duh Im sure YOU are the steak chap.

Ravi said...

Wats Up Golu! I too keep hearing about you from Ramu - loved ur blog, esp the story in 3 parts! Very very well done.. I read the parts in a very weird order and was still so much fun! havent seen much recent activity though..

Golu said...

arey yaar... I have my phd qualifiers in less than a week and thats why Im waiting for that to get over so that I can start blogging again. I do have a few things in mind but just need the time. I am abt to post my reviews of a RHCP concert that i just attended btw :)

Anonymous said...

hi there fellas. I'm actually into shoes and I was searching for the sake of that particular brand. The prices due to the fact that the sneakers were about 190 bucks on every page. But for all I bring about this area selling them someone is concerned half price. I in reality like those [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]prada sneakers[/url]. I will probably order these. what do you think?