On Professional Language

Hierarchy is a common sense feature of almost every institution, and an especially conspicuous feature of the Navy. In most cases, hierarchy works well to divide work and to apportion responsibility. But in some cases, hierarchy can undermine the efficient and responsible interaction of people. A team or an institution may have clear goals and sufficient resources, and yet fail due to poor human interaction. This paper offers the idea of a professional language convention as an antidote to the unconstructive effects of institutional hierarchy. The paper derives its relevance from the claim tha…