Ford Executive Retires After Documenting Colleagues’ Linguistic Missteps For 32 Years

After a dedicated tenure of 32 years at Ford Motor Company, sales executive Mike O’Brien announced his retirement. In his farewell message to colleagues, O’Brien included a unique attachment: a meticulously compiled spreadsheet documenting over 2,200 instances of verbal missteps—such as mixed metaphors and malapropisms—committed by his coworkers during meetings and discussions over the years.​

O’Brien began this endeavor in 2014, initially recording these linguistic errors on a whiteboard in his office. The collection, affectionately termed “Board Words,” quickly became a source of amusement and light-heartedness among employees. Notable entries featured phrases like “Let’s not reinvent the ocean” and “I don’t want to sound like a broken drum here, but…,”.

The initiative gained widespread recognition within the company, with employees from various departments contributing observations. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, O’Brien transported the whiteboards to his garage, ensuring the continuation of this cherished tradition. The spreadsheet categorized the errors and included a leaderboard, with marketing manager Mike Murphy leading with 184 recorded infractions. O’Brien himself was not exempt, with 110 entries to his name.​

While the project was intended in good humor, it occasionally led to moments of self-awareness among staff, especially during presentations. Nonetheless, many appreciated the levity it brought to the workplace, serving as a reminder of the human element in professional interactions.​

As O’Brien steps into retirement, his legacy at Ford includes not only his professional contributions but also this unique compilation that underscores the importance of humor and camaraderie in the workplace