What it actually means
I am acknowledging your point so I do not have to act on it.
Surface meaning: A holding space for ideas or questions to address later.
If someone just said “Parking Lot” in a meeting, here is what they probably meant, what to do about it, and how to keep your sanity.
In the wild
Facilitator: Great point, let's put that in the parking lot.
(Parking lot full. Cars never retrieved.)
How to respond
End every meeting by reading the parking lot aloud. Each item gets an owner or gets killed. No item leaves the meeting in limbo.
Origin
Facilitator training, 1990s. Borrowed from literal parking lots, where things are also forgotten.
FAQ
What does "Parking Lot" actually mean?
I am acknowledging your point so I do not have to act on it.
Where did the phrase "Parking Lot" come from?
Facilitator training, 1990s. Borrowed from literal parking lots, where things are also forgotten.
How should I respond when someone says "Parking Lot"?
End every meeting by reading the parking lot aloud. Each item gets an owner or gets killed. No item leaves the meeting in limbo.
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 →