The business of battle

What is it about businesses that insist upon using wartime analogies to motivate people? We are not soldiers. We are not fighting a war. Yet, time and time again, executives insist on "rallying the troops" by using very aggressive metaphors.

We're in the midst of a minor crisis and suddenly everyone talks about being on the "defensive" or "offensive." I heard someone refer to the room next to me as a "war room." War room? Come on! It's a conference room! There are large black-and-white photos of birds and flowers. Women's garments hang from racks along one wall. How on Earth is this considered a "war" room?!

The only thing I hate more than the rhetoric of war is when people use sports analogies to motivate co-workers. If I were a professional athlete, I'd expect a much higher salary.