It’s a clear as International Cyber-warfare.
I say the word “cyberweapon” and what ideas and images pop into your mind? If you are an American, Canadian, Brit, Frenchman, or most any other European, here is what popped into your mind:
- Worms and viruses
- Elaborate fishing schemes
- A group of hackers breaking into the computer networks of large institutions and governments
- Crashing entire networks
- Flooding servers with useless information
- Inter-office Fantasy Football Leagues…wait, maybe not this one.
So, when you hear that the U.N. is sponsoring an initiative to eliminate Cyber-warfare, it would seem to be a no brainer that all countries would want to back this initiative and protect their electronic information networks within their boarders. Do you hear a “yes” coming or a “but” coming? If you said “but,” then you win a prize. BUT it’s not that simple. If I say the word “cyberweapon” and you happen to be in from Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, Ethiopia, or Viet Nam, then here is what pops into your mind:
- Unfettered access to information that would be construed as “Ideological Aggression”
- Twitter – and American plot to destabilize foreign governments
- Mass psychological brainwashing
Isn’t it amazing how the term “Cyber-warfare” can have such completely different meanings depending upon your geography? But I don’t need to go as far as looking at international peace relations to find words that have very, very different meanings. The English language is riddled with them. For example:
- Ball – are we talking about a large formal dance or object tossed during a game?
- Angle – are we fishing or are we talking about a point where two lines intersect?
- Beef – is that a side of meat or a complaint?
- and much more, just think of: stall, lead, flat, yard, etc.
Unfortunately, these types of nefarious words can find their way into your place of business too. Think about the last time you hired someone. It’s quite possible you used a term like “aggressive” when describing what you needed from that new hire. But did you mean that you wanted someone who thrived on difficult conversations or someone who wouldn’t end the day until he/she had contact with 25 potential new customers each day? Here’s an exercise for you to try in your office. Send an email to your leadership team and ask them the following:
Without going to Merriam Webster’s website or accessing the Oxford English Dictionary in your Kindle, give me your brief definition for: Aggressive.
Let me know how many different definitions you get. I welcome the email from you. More importantly, the next time you sit down to talk with a recruiter, your HR department, or your team to discuss competencies needed for someone to be your next new colleague, be sure you are very clear; otherwise, you may end up with a team member who argues with everyone, but doesn’t generate near the level of activity that you so desired.
Tags: Competencies, Interview