What it actually means
What you proposed is too ambitious and I don't want to do it. Also I don't want to say no directly.
Surface meaning: To attempt an impossibly broad or large-scale task.
If someone just said “Boil the Ocean” in a meeting, here is what they probably meant, what to do about it, and how to keep your sanity.
In the wild
IC: We could just rebuild the whole pipeline.
Director: Let's not boil the ocean.
How to respond
Ask: 'What's the smallest version that delivers value?' Force the conversation off the ocean and onto a teakettle.
Origin
Older than the corporate version. Used at least since the 1940s, popularized by consulting.
FAQ
What does "Boil the Ocean" actually mean?
What you proposed is too ambitious and I don't want to do it. Also I don't want to say no directly.
Where did the phrase "Boil the Ocean" come from?
Older than the corporate version. Used at least since the 1940s, popularized by consulting.
How should I respond when someone says "Boil the Ocean"?
Ask: 'What's the smallest version that delivers value?' Force the conversation off the ocean and onto a teakettle.
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.
Open the simulator →