9 Quotes You Can Use in Team Meetings for Bullshit Bingo

#2 Borrow a hammer to a child, and everything looks like a nail.

In lockdown times, many people have to work remotely. As others cannot see all your movement, you could grab a pen and paper and start playing (bullshit) bingo.

It would be best if you form a 3x3 square, in which you write the following quotes — for the lazy ones: it is sufficient to write the numbers.

The quotes can either be ticked if you feel that the quote itself best describes the situation of a person uses this quote.

#1 Everything is said but not by everyone.

You surely felt this way many times. Especially when the hierarchy-people are present. People love to speak and get attention.

And they often only get attention when they speak. Therefore, they rephrase the already said and want to appear special through that.

The important word in the last sentence is “want.” They often fail as the audience is neither stupid nor suffers an injured short-term memory.

#2 Borrow a hammer to a child, and everything looks like a nail.

Speaking about hierarchy, these people often use their borrowed power to push their ideas. And they sometimes do not look if there are better alternatives.

Besides, especially not flexible persons tend to use the same methods they always used:

• We always have done it in this way.
• We never tried this.
• This won’t work here — our old approach is the best one.

Often, a scalpel or a bulldozer offer more reliable results.

#3 Can you do it? Then do it! If not, learn to do it!

Whenever a name has to be put behind a task, you will find people in meetings who are brilliant in dodging.

My first boss at a very traditional company coined the phrase above. And I believe that most things are learnable, and therefore doable.

If you want to step up your business, you can raise your hand and offer your help.

Otherwise, you can check the box when you get the impression that no one feels responsible.

#4 Today, we are standing on the edge, but tomorrow we are a step further.

Most employees know about this situation. When you do not see the possible outcome, but you continue the proclaimed way.

It is often wise to stop for a moment and see if you are still on the right track. There is always another possibility, and as you know already — the most flexible in the meeting leads it.

#5 Wind is coming up — we need to set the sails — no time, we are busy rowing.

Speaking about flexibility — new approaches are needed in the current crisis. While some companies are still in some shock, others use the situation and gain ground.

More of the same won’t lead to different results. It is the creative company that does not only survive but prevails.

#6 Keep riding a dead horse.

And another possibility can be to step off a dead horse. Many companies, especially those that did not adopt new business models, were stuck to their old approaches. But as you know from Albert Einstein:

“We cannot solve the problems with the mindset we had when we created them.”

It won’t help to exchange the jockey, shoe the horse, use another saddle or hit the already dead horse harder.

If the horse is dead — step off.

#7 Ask 3 lawyers, and you get 5 opinions.

This quote does not only apply to lawyers. You can ask economists too. And it is still important to ask them and form your own opinion based on the answers.

Thus, sometimes you have to listen to your gut feeling and stop asking others what is best. When you are truthful to yourself — you already know the answer. You only seek reassurance.

#8 It depends.

You may want to write this quote in the middle of your square. It is the one quote to go for if you don’t have an exact answer.

And the funny thing is — sometimes, this quote is the exact answer. As always in life, situations are not black or white. Sometimes it is a wonderful mixture of grey or even multicolored.

#9 We put that question/topic in the backlog.

Has anybody in the history of business ever looked into that backlog? It appears to me that his backlog is more like page 2 on google — you never go there.

It would be best to redeem this quote from your vocabulary as you won’t return to these questions at any time in the future.

Winning thoughts

If no one uses these quotes, or if the situation does not develop in the right direction — be the show master yourself!

Start using these quotes to appear creative, wise, and funny. Who knows where this will lead.

And as always — please enjoy the ride!