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October 24, 2024 · 2 min read

Problems and challenges are different things

Tom KirkmanIndependent Project Manager

Problems and Challenges are *DIFFERENT*.

Problems are *not* the same as Challenges, although there *can* be a bit of overlap between the 2 concepts sometimes.

I’ve frequently been in formal business meetings with customers and in business meetings with C-Suite level bosses.

When senior managers in meetings insist on labeling serious *problems* with projects as “challenges” my immediate presumption is that they usually (not always) tend to fall into 1 of 3 categories:

1)  Insufficient literacy in the English language
2)  Woke / incompetent
3)  Both 1 and 2 above

Redefining plain English words into corrupted disinformation is a *hallmark* of Marxists and Fascists, and is specifically utilized by the current crop of Woke Activists who insist on telling others to think incorrectly and insist that others agree with their incorrect ideology.

To illustrate the difference between “problems” and “challenges”, I compiled some photos below from 2 old dictionaries, which were written well before the woke activists hijacked their very specific historical meanings.

The photos of the longer definitions below are from 
“The New Century Dictionary” from 1927, and include the etymology (roots) of the words.

The photos of the shorter definitions below are from
“Webster Dictionary” from 1933.

Yes, I know this is pedantic.  So sue me …

Just one of my pet peeves of senior managers / CEOs who try distort clear concepts into WokeSpeak disinformation.

Orwellian Newspeak is alive and well these days.

FROM THE THREAD

Tom's notes 4

  1. Tom Kirkman

    Thanks Jon Burghardt.
    I compile technical glossaries for fun.
    Properly understanding the meanings of words is pretty important to me.

    One of my old posts about the importance of understanding little, ordinary words:
    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkirkman_the-importance-of-little-words-and-actually-activity-7025083045363781632-idB2

    Acronyms can be even worse. Too many people throw acronyms around in business meetings without even knowing what the acronyms stand for.

    My old Valve Glossary was posted here (320 pages)
    https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tomkirkman_valve-glossary-tom-kirkmanpdf-activity-7176184510298894336-MXkd

  2. Tom Kirkman

    Irina Slav since you are a writer who chooses words very deliberately, you might find my post here amusing.

    Pedantic, but amusing.

  3. Tom Kirkmanreplying to Chris Bright

    ick. "Prallenge" is a creepy invented notion, turned into a word.

    Are you sure "Prallenge" wasn't a word invented by the federal government's constant impulse to worsen anything it touches, while absurdly declaring progress?

  4. Tom Kirkmanreplying to Diane M. Kimura

    well, the U.S. and most Western countries are currently thoroughly engaged in the silencing of legitimate dissent phase.

    And the silencing is getting worse by the constant shouting down and hectoring from our Dear Leaders and our Dear Legacy Media puppets.

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