The “burning platform” is a trendy phrase in business at the moment, used for a crisis that demands immediate action. It refers to a guy on an oil rig that caught fire, and he had the choice of staying on the rig and facing certain death, or jump into the icy water on the slim chance that he might survive. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Burning Platform”
A friend of mine who doesn’t spend a lot of time in the business world told me the other day that she was in a meeting and she kept hearing people talk about the burning platform.
Have you heard this expression?
The burning platform? No, I don’t know this one.
Apparently it’s becoming very trendy in business to talk about a burning platform, which is a crisis that demands action.
It’s a need for change in a corporate setting that’s frightening, but you have to do it.
Right.
Or your business is just done.
Exactly.
And it refers to an old story about a guy who was on an oil rig and it caught fire.
And he had the choice of either frying or jumping into the North Atlantic and possibly being fatally injured or freezing to death.
And he made the choice to jump and survived.
Right.
Instead of putting out the fire.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes, but if you have a burning platform, it’s something that you must address immediately, even if it’s painful for your business.
Wow, yeah. Business jargon isn’t all bad. 877-929-9673. Email words@waywordradio.org.
