‘Brainstorming’

The Myth: Due to protests from The PC Brigade, the term ‘brainstorm’ is now inappropriate to use in the workplace when describing a collective idea session. They must now be referred to as ‘mind maps’ or ‘thought showers’. This is to avoid offending people with epilepsy.

The Truth: The loss of the term in the workplace can be attributed to incessant reporting of one incident causing a ripple effect amongst businesses.

Use of the term WAS discouraged in a training scheme by the Welsh Development Agency, a group promoting business growth. Turnbridge Wells Council followed suit. No law was ever passed.

Everyone from The Sun to the National Society of Epileptics has condemned this ‘ban’ as a well meaning but hysterical attempt not to offend. But the more the story spreads, the more workplaces become concerned with appearing not just polite, but also ‘in touch’ with modern terminology. The fact that other places are no longer referring to brain storming is good enough reason to do the same.

To put it plainly, if the term has been genuinely banned at your workplace, it is probably because someone has read in the paper that there is controversy surrounding it, and so they have done what they thought would keep their business out of trouble.

Rest assured, there is no such law banning the term. The only ‘Political Correctness Brigade’ who exist are the newspapers who intentionally spread this rubbish until it inevitably becomes the truth.

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” – Mark Twain