No problem

[Ant van Oviedo]

Has anyone else noticed that at some time in the recent past "problems" as such have ceased to exist (hurray!) to be replaced by "issues" (boo!)? This manifests itself in phrases such as "If you are still experiencing issues...."

Now I'm all for the evolution of the species, and you never know, it may well evolve yet, but this is going into denial like never before. In short, what the fuck is that all about?

[tracteurgarcon]

No problem

I thought it was all challenges nowadays?

[Crusoe]

No problem

Nah, I think the paradigm shifted.

It's all enhancement opportunities now.

[VTTBoscombe]

No problem

Plus in annual performance assessments, instead of "Hopeless at..../Should be sacked for..." they have "Areas for Improvement"

[JtS]

No problem

I blame the West Indians

[evilC]

No problem

It's almost a 'culture of denial', isn't it?

When this kind of terminology is used on (for instance) a customer support (automated) helpline/website, the phrase "if you are still experiencing issues" is deployed so as to infer that the problem is one that the user has, not the hardware/software.

When it's used in performance assessments/reports, I think it's so that it doesn't look like the company have been wanting to sack the person for ages. This would be just in case they do just that at a later date and the sackee tries to take legal action against them for unfair dismissal. If they (the employers) look like they've been all supportive and cuddly about it all along, it's harder to prove.

What I hate about this kind of linguistic 'evolution' ('slippage', as I prefer to think of it) is that it'll end up so that everyone is too scared to be definite about anything - to make assertions. People will just be verbally tiptoeing around any areas that they think may be difficult and just passing the buck, effectively.

[ad hoc]

No problem

The thing is the terms are useful sometimes - I do pre-service training for teachers, and after I've observed them teach, it wouldn't be helpful for them for me to say "That was shit" (they're typically nervous and insecure enough), and much more helpful for me to be able to highlight things they need to work on. I mean I can assume in most cases that they will actually get better.

In the case of people who've been doing the same thing for 10 years though, it would seem that a bit of reality might be of value.

I agree on the problems/issues/challenges thing though.

[Ant van Oviedo]

No problem

As a teacher myself, tact often dictates that I verbally sweeten the pill for someone that has just done a poor piece of work. That is called encouragement, motivation and, when necessary, constructive criticism. I have learnt from various experiences that threatening, bollockings and humilliation do not get anybody anywhere (except maybe the dole queue). But what is equally useless is deception, and, worse still, self-deception. A problem is a problem is a problem, as the man said - what is wrong with admitting that one exists, and looking for a way of dealing with it that suits everyone's needs?

Issue, my arse.