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Define: "Touch Base" in Business
Fiscal Threat Level
MODERATE
High risk of unnecessary meetings
CWO Pro-Tip
"An ambush meeting. Ask for an agenda beforehand."
What HR thinks it means:
A brief conversation to catch up on a project's status.
What does "Touch Base" actually mean?
"A 30-minute meeting to discuss things you already emailed them about yesterday."
How HR uses it:
"I just wanted to touch base regarding your progress on the integration piece."
How you actually use it:
"I scheduled a meeting to touch base on the project, ensuring we kill at least 30 minutes that could have been spent actually doing the project."
By The Chief Waste Officer
18 years in the corporate trenches quantifying waste so you don't have to.
Published: 2026-03-01
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Tired of hearing this?
Next time someone says "Touch Base" in a meeting, track exactly how much company money they just wasted. Play Buzzword Bingo, generate a waste invoice, and stop the bleeding.
