TQM, thought leadership, dot-com, dot-bomb, golden parachute: the litany of business jargon could go on for pages. HBR talks with Marjorie Garber about jargon, why we respond to it as we do, and why it's here to stay.

Eric Holt had one responsibility as FireArt's director of strategy: to put together a team of people from each division and create and implement a comprehensive plan for the company's strategic realignment within six months. It seemed like an exciting, rewarding challenge. Unfortunately, the team got off on the wrong foot from its first meeting. Randy Louderback, FireArt's charismatic and extremely talented director of sales and marketing, seemed intent on sabotaging the group's efforts. Anxiously awaiting the start of the team's fourth meeting, Eric was determined to address Randy's behavior openly in the group. But before he could, Randy provoked a confrontation, and the meeting ended abruptly. What should Eric do now? Is Randy the team's only problem? In 94612 and 94612Z, Jon R. Katzenbach, J. Richard Hackman, Genevieve Segol, Paul P. Baard, Ed Musselwhite, Kathleen Hurson, and Michael Garber offer advice on this fictional case study.