What Does the Phrase ‘Elephant in the Room’ Mean?

The phrase “elephant in the room” is one of the most common business/office jargon phrases. It is used to refer to an obvious truth or problem that everyone knows about but nobody wants to talk about. The phrase is usually used to refer to a situation in which the people involved are avoiding discussing a difficult or uncomfortable issue, often because they have difficulty agreeing on how to best handle it.

For example, let’s say an office has a team member who is consistently late to the office. Everyone knows this is the case, but nobody wants to address it because they don’t want to hurt the feelings of the latecomer. In this case, the “elephant in the room” would be the issue of tardiness. It is an issue that everyone is aware of, but no one wants to address it because it is an uncomfortable topic.

The phrase “elephant in the room” is used to remind people that there are issues that must be discussed, even if they are uncomfortable. It is important to remember that addressing these issues is essential for the functioning of the team, and avoiding them can lead to further problems. Dealing with difficult topics head-on and in a productive manner can help to avoid future problems down the line and keep the team functioning at its best.