I was introduced to this board game by friends, and really enjoy playing it – the jist is that you must think of one thing that relates to several items so your teammate can guess the items. That got me thinking about all the codenames that exist in our “corporate” world and how we make meaning of the things they represent without ever actually defining them.

On a call with a client who shared some of her code words (unknowingly) that included “get the project a little bit pregnant.” I admit I had to look it up, as it was completely unfamiliar to me. Think about the phrases that are codenames in your organization. Then, think about how people new to your career, new to your industry, and new to your organization can thrive with codenames operating that are undefined in any meaningful way.

Start there to build a more engaged workforce with a stronger sense of belonging. That’s the codename for “more profit,” in case you didn’t put that together.