(本文选自《经济学人》20211120期)
背景介绍：
职场如同战场，不乏套路、忽悠，特别是在与领导、同事沟通的时候，千万不能单纯地认为他们对你说的那些话就是他们真正想表达的含义。如果在瞬息万变的职场中不能听懂这些潜台词的弦外之音职场经济学概念，那么将对你的职业发展产生巨大的影响。下面就让我们来看看这些常见的职场黑话吧。
The business phrasebook
职场黑话手册
A short guide to what your colleagues really mean
一个让你听懂同事潜台词的小册子
Reed Hastings has built the culture at Netflix around it. Ray Dalio made it a founding principle at Bridgewater, a successful investment fund. “Radical candour” is the idea that bracing honesty is the best way to run a business: no one dances around the truth, and swifter feedback improves performance.
里德·黑斯廷斯围绕它打造了奈飞的文化。雷·戴利奥将其作为桥水（一家成功的投资基金）的立身之本。“绝对坦诚”的理念是，保持诚信是经营一家企业的最佳方式：没有人回避事实，更迅速的反馈可以提高业绩。
Most firms rely on a messier doctrine. People rarely say what they mean, but hope that their meaning is nonetheless clear. Think Britain, but with paycheques. To navigate this kind of workplace, you need a phrasebook.
大多数公司都依赖一套更含混的话术。人们很少会直白地表达他们的真实意图，但又希望能够清楚地表达自己的意思。就像英国人那样说话，但是得拿工资。想要适应这种工作环境职场经济学概念，你需要一本职场黑话手册。
“I hear you”
Ostensible meaning: You’re making a legitimate point
Actual meaning: Be quiet
“我知道了。”
表面意思：你的观点有道理
实际含义：别再说了
“Let’s discuss this offline”
Ostensible meaning: We shouldn’t waste other people’s valuable time
Actual meaning: Let’s never speak of this again (see also: “Let’s put a pin in it”)
“我们会后再议。”
表面意思：我们不应该浪费其他人的宝贵时间
实际含义：我们再也别提这件事了（“将它列入待办事项”也是这个含义）
“We should all learn to walk in each other’s shoes”
Ostensible meaning: Shared understanding results in better outcomes
Actual meaning: I need you to know that my job is a living hell
"我们都应该学会设身处地为对方着想"
表面意思：相互理解能够带来更好的结果
实际含义：你看不出来我的工作就是人间地狱吗
“I'm just curious…”
Ostensible meaning: I’d like to know why you think that...
Actual meaning: ...because it makes no sense to anyone else
“我只是好奇……”
表面意思：我想知道你为什么这么想……
实际含义：……因为这对其他人来说毫无意义
“It’s great to have started this conversation”
Ostensible meaning: We’ve raised an important issue here
Actual meaning: We’ve made absolutely no progress
"能展开这样的对话真是太好了"
表面意思：我们启动了一个重要议题
实际含义：我们没有任何进展
“I wanted to keep you in the loop”
Ostensible meaning: I am informing you of something minor
Actual meaning: I should have told you this weeks ago
“我原想让你随时了解情况的”
表面意思：我要告诉你一些不重要的事情
实际含义：我本该几周前就告诉你的
“Do you have five minutes?”
Ostensible meaning: I have something trivial to say
Actual meaning: You are in deep, deep trouble
“你有五分钟的时间吗?”
表面意思：我有一些琐事要和你说
实际含义：你有大麻烦了
“Let’s handle this asynchronously”
Ostensible meaning: We’ll each work on this task in our own time
Actual meaning: I have to go to my Pilates class now
“让我们分头处理这件事吧”
表面意思：我们各自找时间去完成这项工作
实际含义：我现在得去上普拉提课了
“It’s on the product roadmap”
Ostensible meaning: It’ll be done soon
Actual meaning: It won’t be done soon
“这个在产品路线图上”
表面意思：这很快就能完成
实际含义：这不会很快完成
“We’re moving to an agile framework”
Ostensible meaning: We will work iteratively in response to user feedback
Actual meaning: We’re literally planning to go round in circles
“我们正在转向敏捷框架”
表面意思：我们将不断地响应用户的反馈
实际含义：我们打算原地兜圈子
“It’s a legacy tech stack”
Ostensible meaning: It’s a rat’s nest of old and incompatible systems
Actual meaning: None of this is our fault
“这是个遗留下来的技术栈”
表面意思：这是一些又旧又不兼容的系统
实际含义：这都不是我们的错
“We are a platform business”
Ostensible meaning: We provide an ecosystem in which others can interact
Actual meaning: Let’s pretend we are a tech firm and see what happens to our valuation (see also: “as a service”, “network effects” and “flywheels”)
“我们是一个平台企业”
表面意思：我们提供了一个生态系统，其他人可以在这里互动
实际含义：假设我们是一家科技公司，看看我们的估值会发生什么变化（“服务”、“网络效应”和“飞轮”也是这个含义）
“We are planning for the metaverse”
Ostensible meaning: We are ready for a shared, immersive digital world
Actual meaning: Ooh, look! A bandwagon! (see also: “Web3”)
“我们正在为元宇宙做准备”
表面意思：我们已经准备好迎接一个共享的、沉浸式的数字世界
实际含义：哇，你看！那是个风口！（“Web3” 也是这个含义）
“Bring your whole selves to work”
Ostensible meaning: Be authentic and don’t be afraid to show vulnerability
Actual meaning: But not those bits of your whole self, obviously
“在工作中完全展现自己吧”
表面意思：做真实的自己，不要害怕显现自己的脆弱
实际含义：但是，也不是让你放飞自我
In a world of radical candour, there would be less need for translating. Most managers and colleagues could indeed be better at giving unvarnished feedback. Some words and phrases are so opaque they absorb all visible meaning.
在一个绝对坦诚的世界里，就没有太大必要进行翻译了。大多数经理和同事确实能够把话说得清楚直白。而有些人说话拐弯抹角，你根本不知道他们到底要表达什么。
But there is an awful lot to be said for coded communication. Work is where people learn to manage social interactions, not define them out of existence. Transparency doesn’t necessarily travel well across borders. And perpetual bluntness is draining; humans constantly finesse and massage the messages they send in order to avoid open conflict.
有关职场黑话的例子不胜枚举。人们应该在工作中对其加以学习认识，而不是列个清单按图索骥。透明不一定能够跨越人与人的边界。而总是口无遮拦会让人筋疲力尽；为了避免正面冲突，人类总是在尝试委婉地进行表达。
Radical candour is associated with firms that pay very well. That may be because this approach leads to greater success. It may be because otherwise most people wouldn’t put up with it.
目前那些推行绝对坦诚的公司都有着非常丰厚的薪酬。可能是因为这种方式给这些公司带来了更大的成功。也有可能是因为，如果薪酬不够高，大多数人都受不了这么直白的表达。
(红色标注词为重难点词汇)
本文翻译：Vinnie
校核：Vinnie
