Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
syndrome de la balançoire
English translation:
Chinese whispers syndrome
Added to glossary by
Una Dimitrijevic
Jan 7, 2019 10:39
5 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term
syndrome de la balançoire
French to English
Bus/Financial
Management
Context: a presentation for managers, laying out how to deal with employee evaluation, setting goals, and calculating bonuses
Paragraph: "Clarifiez vos attentes: À ne pas prendre le temps de dire ce que l’on veut, on prend le risque de ne jamais être satisfait. Décrivez précisément la performance attendue pour chacun des objectifs qualitatifs. Pourquoi est-ce important ? A quoi ressemblera le succès? A partir de quel niveau vous considérerez que l’objectif est atteint partiellement ? Totalement ? Dépassé ?
Soyez concret pour éviter le syndrome de la balançoire !"
I found one definition which I think relates to the origin of this expression in the context of IT: "célèbre ensemble de dessins qui montre les déviations subies par un logiciel depuis les vœux de l'utilisateur jusqu'à sa réalisation". This could reflect the idea that the employee has difficulty achieving a goal if it is not defined clearly.
In the context of management, I found two other examples of this "syndrome":
- « Syndrome de la balançoire » : l’employé refuse de lire un dossier sous n’importe quel prétexte.
- le syndrome de la balançoire (crier sur ses employés)
If anyone is familiar with the term and knows a similar or equivalent expression in English that would be of great help!
Thanks in advance.
Una
Paragraph: "Clarifiez vos attentes: À ne pas prendre le temps de dire ce que l’on veut, on prend le risque de ne jamais être satisfait. Décrivez précisément la performance attendue pour chacun des objectifs qualitatifs. Pourquoi est-ce important ? A quoi ressemblera le succès? A partir de quel niveau vous considérerez que l’objectif est atteint partiellement ? Totalement ? Dépassé ?
Soyez concret pour éviter le syndrome de la balançoire !"
I found one definition which I think relates to the origin of this expression in the context of IT: "célèbre ensemble de dessins qui montre les déviations subies par un logiciel depuis les vœux de l'utilisateur jusqu'à sa réalisation". This could reflect the idea that the employee has difficulty achieving a goal if it is not defined clearly.
In the context of management, I found two other examples of this "syndrome":
- « Syndrome de la balançoire » : l’employé refuse de lire un dossier sous n’importe quel prétexte.
- le syndrome de la balançoire (crier sur ses employés)
If anyone is familiar with the term and knows a similar or equivalent expression in English that would be of great help!
Thanks in advance.
Una
Proposed translations
(English)
3 +1 | Chinese whispers syndrome | Wendy Streitparth |
2 | going around in circles | SafeTex |
Proposed translations
+1
6 hrs
Selected
Chinese whispers syndrome
Communication along the reporting lines is inclined to be long, slow and subject to the Chinese whispers syndrome, so that the message which finds its way to the top is different to the one that left the bottom.
https://books.google.de/books?id=OSjPXdhTCf4C&pg=PA51&lpg=PA...
Or vice versa : top to bottom
Effect of Chinese whispers syndrome:
1) How marketing described it
2) How engineering saw it
3) What production produced
4) What the customer wanted
http://gr.xjtu.edu.cn/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=229...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2019-01-07 16:56:28 GMT)
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In this way, when inducting new staff, first-generation instructions are readily available for work tasks rather than instructions diluted by the Chinese whispers syndrome.
https://books.google.de/books?id=ptHWt-TG57YC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA...
https://books.google.de/books?id=OSjPXdhTCf4C&pg=PA51&lpg=PA...
Or vice versa : top to bottom
Effect of Chinese whispers syndrome:
1) How marketing described it
2) How engineering saw it
3) What production produced
4) What the customer wanted
http://gr.xjtu.edu.cn/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=229...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2019-01-07 16:56:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
In this way, when inducting new staff, first-generation instructions are readily available for work tasks rather than instructions diluted by the Chinese whispers syndrome.
https://books.google.de/books?id=ptHWt-TG57YC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA...
Peer comment(s):
agree |
philgoddard
2 hrs
|
Thanks again, Phil
|
|
neutral |
Tony M
: Looking at Wendy's ref., I can see exactly what they refer to, but i really don't think this comes about because of 'Chinese whispers', but rather because people fail to specify all aspects of what is required.
4 hrs
|
But that is precisely the point: the lack of clarity.
|
3 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks, this seems like the best option if we want to avoid simply saying something like "to avoid misunderstandings"/"to spell things out clearly""
13 hrs
going around in circles
Given the context, swinging to and fro gets you nowhere and this is what I feel that the writer really means despite the unclear meaning of the expression in various references. That is why he says "soyez concret".
Reference comments
2 hrs
Reference:
En effet, l'une des finalités des cas d’utilisation est de faciliter le dialogue entre développeurs et utilisateurs, afin d'éviter le "syndrome de la balançoire" (célèbre ensemble de dessins qui montre les déviations subies par un logiciel depuis les vœux de l'utilisateur jusqu'à sa réalisation).
http://agile.thierrycros.net/uml2_1.pdf
Ensemble de dessins: https://www.google.fr/search?q="syndrome de la balancoire"&t...
http://agile.thierrycros.net/uml2_1.pdf
Ensemble de dessins: https://www.google.fr/search?q="syndrome de la balancoire"&t...
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree |
philgoddard
: Your second reference explains it perfectly, and I agree with Chinese whispers, which is a good approximation.
2 hrs
|
4 hrs
Reference:
Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de défense du patron ayant atteint son niveau
Le principe de Peter par L.J.Peter et R.Hull 1969 - Le blog de ...
sharedbookformbruno.over-blog.com/.../le-principe-de-peter-par-...
3.5) Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de défense du patron ayant atteint son niveau qui consiste à renvoyer leur subordonné à l’idée première émise.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2019-01-07 16:27:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
transliterated from Peter Principle:
3.5) Swing syndrome: defense technique of the boss having reached his level which consists of returning their subordinate to the first idea issued.
sharedbookformbruno.over-blog.com/.../le-principe-de-peter-par-...
3.5) Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de défense du patron ayant atteint son niveau qui consiste à renvoyer leur subordonné à l’idée première émise.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2019-01-07 16:27:42 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
transliterated from Peter Principle:
3.5) Swing syndrome: defense technique of the boss having reached his level which consists of returning their subordinate to the first idea issued.
7 hrs
Reference:
The term "Syndrome de la balançoire" seems irredeemably muddled
Version 1
http://www.jobfiction.fr/?p=59
"Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de management consistant à soufler le chaud et le froid sur ses subordonnés afin de masquer son propre sentiment d’insécurité."
http://lirsa.cnam.fr/medias/fichier/peter_hullhtml__12629604...
"Certains employés, ayant atteint le dernier poste, essaient de masquer leur insécurité en appliquant à leur subordonnés le système de la balançoire" (Possibly)
Version 2 (The Chinese whispers one)
However, note that Chinese whispers is generally the same as "le téléphone arabe".
The cartoon version: https://bit.ly/2Fbz39H
http://agile.thierrycros.net/UML2_1.html
"syndrome de la balançoire" (célèbre ensemble de dessins qui montre les déviations subies par un logiciel depuis les vœux de l'utilisateur jusqu'à sa réalisation)."
Version 3
http://sharedbookformbruno.over-blog.com/2015/11/le-principe...
"Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de défense du patron ayant atteint son niveau qui consiste à renvoyer leur subordonné à l’idée première émise."
http://lirsa.cnam.fr/medias/fichier/peter_hullhtml__12629604...
"Certains employés, ayant atteint le dernier poste, essaient de masquer leur insécurité en appliquant à leur subordonnés le système de la balançoire" (Possibly)
http://www.jobfiction.fr/?p=59
"Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de management consistant à soufler le chaud et le froid sur ses subordonnés afin de masquer son propre sentiment d’insécurité."
http://lirsa.cnam.fr/medias/fichier/peter_hullhtml__12629604...
"Certains employés, ayant atteint le dernier poste, essaient de masquer leur insécurité en appliquant à leur subordonnés le système de la balançoire" (Possibly)
Version 2 (The Chinese whispers one)
However, note that Chinese whispers is generally the same as "le téléphone arabe".
The cartoon version: https://bit.ly/2Fbz39H
http://agile.thierrycros.net/UML2_1.html
"syndrome de la balançoire" (célèbre ensemble de dessins qui montre les déviations subies par un logiciel depuis les vœux de l'utilisateur jusqu'à sa réalisation)."
Version 3
http://sharedbookformbruno.over-blog.com/2015/11/le-principe...
"Syndrome de la balançoire : technique de défense du patron ayant atteint son niveau qui consiste à renvoyer leur subordonné à l’idée première émise."
http://lirsa.cnam.fr/medias/fichier/peter_hullhtml__12629604...
"Certains employés, ayant atteint le dernier poste, essaient de masquer leur insécurité en appliquant à leur subordonnés le système de la balançoire" (Possibly)
Peer comments on this reference comment:
agree |
Nikki Scott-Despaigne
: I agree that there is a fundamental problem with this expression (see my disc. post). Different sources provide different interpretations. Use wld normally help, but both seem to be used. I think this has to be swung back in the direction of the client! ;
15 hrs
|
Thanks Nikki. Yes, the only sensible solution is to check with the client.
|
Discussion
I'm a Brit and I know the verb "totter" meaning "stagger" and "teeter on the edge of a disaster" but the "teeter/totter syndrome" without an explanation that follows would be at the very limits of comprehension for us Brits (at least for me)
It is a very good suggestion for all that and preferable to "Chinese Whispers Syndrome" IMHO.
Regards
SafeTex
Hi,
I'm no longer registered with ProZ.com (my pseudo was
"Bourth") so I cannot respond on-line. I hope you don't
object to direct email.
The first thing I think of when I see "balançoire" is
"swing", but the French use the same word for a see-saw or,
as the Americans call it,
a teeter-totter, hence:
• Teeter-totter syndrome: the complete inability to make
decisions appropriate to the sufferer’s rank.
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-in...
You'll find quite a few references to this if you Google it
with "management" and/or "peter principle".
Though French definitions may vary, I think it is safe to
assume this is the meaning intended. French management
theory is generally
copied from US practice.
HTH, Alex
Completely agree with you on this. It's not Chinese Whispers for the reasons you give.
I've already put up a suggestion but other ideas are
"Spell things out clearly"
"Make sure no one gets hold of the wrong end of the stick"
But all these are hard to present as a syndrome.
In essence, this is the notion of several parallel misinterpretations, due to different people 'simultaneously' using their own knowledge to interpret a set of specifications that were not clear / comprehensive / unambiguous at the outset — and I think that distinction is actually very important here, with reference to specifications in particular.
My Dad always used to say that "A camel is a horse designed by a committee!"
Chinese whispers is generally the same as "le téléphone arabe", previously (in the days when telephones were properly wired together with curly cables so they couldn't get lost) "le téléphone sans fil". However, both "Chinese whispers" and "le téléphone arabe" have imperialist undertones that some might consider racist. (I don't, but can see how people could.)
This picture sequence ties in with the Chinese whispers idea suggested by Wendy. I aso came across the definition suggested by Rachel. I don't really see how to reconcile the two sources.
E.g. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dangers-chinese-whispers-tele...
http://sharedbookformbruno.over-blog.com/2015/11/le-principe...