What it actually means
I do not have the time. Or I have the time but not for this. Either way, no.
Surface meaning: Capacity to take on additional work.
If someone just said “Bandwidth” in a meeting, here is what they probably meant, what to do about it, and how to keep your sanity.
In the wild
Manager: Do you have bandwidth for one more?
You: Define 'one more'.
How to respond
Counter with specifics: 'I have 3 hours this week. What gets dropped to make room?' Bandwidth without trade-off is just yes.
Origin
Telecom, applied to human capacity in the 1990s. The metaphor never had a unit, which is the whole problem.
FAQ
What does "Bandwidth" actually mean?
I do not have the time. Or I have the time but not for this. Either way, no.
Where did the phrase "Bandwidth" come from?
Telecom, applied to human capacity in the 1990s. The metaphor never had a unit, which is the whole problem.
How should I respond when someone says "Bandwidth"?
Counter with specifics: 'I have 3 hours this week. What gets dropped to make room?' Bandwidth without trade-off is just yes.
Related corporate vocabulary
This was, of course, a meeting that should have been an email.
Run the fake meeting simulator. Generate a bingo card. Be busy without being there.
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