Reviews

A primer on the secret language of business-speak, June 10, 2005
No one wants to seem ignorant or take a chance on looking foolish - especially in front of men and women who have a hand in keeping your monthly paycheck coming in as well as advancing your career. The problem is that business has a language of its own, full of colloquialisms, acronyms, and expressions that were probably never even mentioned in business school. The new employee looking to get ahead needs to absorb as much information as possible - but without looking like a newbie. You can't just interrupt a business meeting to ask the speaker what in the world he meant by some odd phrase. Maybe, if you have a co-worker you feel comfortable talking to, you can find answers there. If not, where can you turn?

Those entering the business world no longer have to negotiate the lingo ropes the hard way, as Ron Sturgeon has taken it upon himself to compile a whole book's worth of business jargon that will demystify some of the strange expressions you are likely to hear as you begin your journey up the ladder to success. Green Weenies and Due Diligence defines over 1200 terms, any number of which you are likely to hear at some point in the corporate environment. The book is broken up into two main sections: Green Weenies contains the more humorous sayings, while Due Diligence features much more serious content. Many of the humorous expressions really are quite funny; I know I plan on including some of them in my personal repertoire so as to amuse (or mystify) family and friends.

Who knew that businessmen were so witty? They've really come up with some really good material that hits the mark surprisingly well. You'll be familiar with some of these terms already: e.g., herding cats, whistling past the graveyard, the light's on but nobody's home; others are just plain common sense when you hear them. Chances are, though, that a lot of these terms and expressions will be unfamiliar to you. Several are a little on the raw side, but Sturgeon points out that he's just reporting what he has heard in his own business dealings.

You may well recognize some of your co-workers and/or managers in the jargon related to employee types and operations. Among the other general topics addressed in the humorous section are strategic issues, sales and marketing, contracts and technology, and acquisitions and divestitures (a really ripe field for business jargon).

Obviously, the first section is a more entertaining read, but the Due Diligence section contains short and effective definitions of some pretty complicated, technical concepts related to important fields such as investments, accounting, taxation, banking, real estate, insurance, and business planning. Normally, this would be very dry material, but Sturgeon makes it interesting - as well as informative. Unlike your basic business dictionary, this section of the book won't put you to sleep - and I daresay you'll find much clearer definitions here than you will in any stuffy old business dictionary. Sturgeon's not your corporate suit-type; he's a self-made man who knows how to communicate on a level that even laymen can grasp.

Alongside the text itself, this book is also blessed with numerous illustrations by Gahan Wilson. These distinctive illustrations really add a great deal to the reading experience. The bottom line is that Green Weenies and Due Diligence is as entertaining as it is informative. Anyone in the business world, from the rookie just out of college to the CEO wanting to brush up on the slang of a younger generation of business leaders, can truly benefit from the knowledge compiled in these pages. It is important to note that the utility of this book also extends to those outside the business community, as well. A significant number of the humorous expressions make their way into all walks of life - in my opinion, this book has information anyone can benefit from.

Daniel Jolly, “Dark Genius”, Amazon Top 50 reviewer

Business jargon explained with great illustrations, June 9, 2005

Every human endeavor develops its own way of speaking. We call these specialized terms jargon, lingo, patois, idiom, argot, vernacular, or, boringly, its terminology. If we are outsiders to that field we call it gibberish, slang, babble, blather, nonsense, or twaddle. The point being that if you want to or have to function within a given field you have to find the meaning of these strange phrases and words.

Business is a very rich field for harvesting new words and phrases. It is such a large area of human activity that its practitioners and victims find especially apt ways of describing what it is that just happened to them. Ron Sturgeon has provided us a handy and entertaining way to get clear definitions and examples of how this lingo is used by those already in the know.

While you may know some or even many of the more than 1,200 terms included here, there are some very useful phrases you probably don't know. One of my favorite terms that I had never heard of before I read this book is "Seagull Management". Sturgeon credits this to Ken Blanchard and defines it as, "A style in which managers behave like seagulls: They swoop down, pick up a scrap of data, an error or something different, squawk loudly, crap all over the people in the vicinity and then fly off." Perfect! You may even wonder what a "green weenie" is. No, it isn't an enviro-nut. It is something in a deal or a project that is unexpected, but found like a hot dog found in fridge that has been stored unplugged in a garage over the summer. Nice visual, huh?

Another treat offered are the drawings by the wonderful Gahan Wilson. Yes, they have his humorously macabre style, but they also illustrate the definitions and add to your understanding of what they actually mean. I have found his illustrations and drawings a treat since I first saw them back in 1973.

Mr. Sturgeon has also provided a way for you to submit your own terms for future editions of this book. I look forward to those editions and enjoying the creativity of my fellows in the business salt mines.

Craig Matteson  (Amazon top 500 reviewer)

Entertaining introduction to industry jargon, June 9, 2005

One of the things that distinguishes most industries is some form of jargon used by the insiders. Here to rescue the newbie is a compendium of terms and definitions from the world of business. Besides general jargon that is common among most businesses like alpha dog and peanut gallery it includes terms specific to particular industries such as Investments, Accounting and Tax, Debt and Banking, Legal, Real Estate, Insurance, Contracts, Business Planning, Acquisitions, and Divestitures. This is fascinating reading with lots of terms I've heard before and even more that are entirely new to me. Done in an interesting style that leaves you unable to put the book down as you read entry after entry it is a fun and informative read. Green Weenies and Due Diligence is highly recommended for anyone in the business world who wants to understand the slang used in their industry.

Harold McFarland (Amazon top 50 reviewer)

irreverent , June 5, 2005

For years, I've been seeing Gahan Wilson's warped drawings in science fiction magazines and the New Yorker. He's branching out. His trademark twisted sketches generously decorate this book. Possibly an inspired choice of illustrator by the author. It syncs with the irreverent tone of many of his explanations of business terms.

Put it this way. If you ken to the spirit of Dilbert, then you may well enjoy this book as a companion text. Dilbert concentrates on technical issues. Sturgeon broadens the scope to most any type of company. Chances are, you might already be familiar with most of the terms. But perhaps not with the spin given in the book.

Wes Boudville (Amazon reviewer rank – 31)