A list of minor administrative chores compiled at the end of an inconclusive meeting to create a temporary illusion of progress.
What they actually mean
"We have reached no decisions, but if I assign you a spreadsheet task, we can all go home."
Heard in the wild
"Before we wrap up, let's make sure we've captured the key next steps so we don't lose this great energy."
The practice of forcing two entirely unrelated departments into a meeting room in the vague hope that their proximity will spontaneously generate a profitable idea.
"We need to cross-pollinate the compliance team with our creative designers to see what sparks fly."
Translation
"Neither team has any idea what the other does, but it makes the calendar look busy."
To escalate an issue or piece of information through the corporate ranks, ensuring it is sufficiently diluted by the time it reaches someone with the power to make a decision.
Let's bubble this feedback up to the steering committee to see what they think.
Translation
I want to pretend I am doing something with your complaint without actually having to resolve it.
The act of asking a colleague to review a piece of work to ensure it does not contain errors so glaringly obvious they could end careers.
"Could you just run your eyes over this deck to sense-check the numbers before we send it to the board?"
Translation
Please tell me I haven't accidentally predicted a four hundred percent loss.