licking [ˈlɪkɪŋ] the [thē] cookie [k
k
]
1. To stake your claim, real or otherwise, on a unit of property, thought or idea within an organization in a manner where no one else can use the object or thought in question.
Explanation from a Fortune article on Steve Balmer and Microsoft:
“Inside Microsoft it’s known as “licking the cookie.” That’s when a group within the company, typically Windows, declares its intentions to work on a feature or a product, thereby preventing others within the company from taking it on. Often it makes sense for Windows to own a project, says a former Microsoft manager who still does consulting work for the company, but it also slows down development at a time when tech companies can scarcely afford to be piggy….”
Read the whole post over at Kris Dunn’s The HR Capitalist (an FOT contributor blog).
Kris Dunn is a Partner and CHRO at Kinetix, a national RPO firm for growth companies headquartered in Atlanta. He’s also the founder Fistful of Talent (founded in 2008) and The HR Capitalist (2007) – and has written over 70 feature columns at Workforce Management magazine. Prior to his investment at Kinetix, Kris served in HR leadership roles at DAXKO, Charter and Cingular. In his spare time, KD hits the road as a speaker and gives the world what it needs – pop culture references linked to Human Capital street smarts.