Cover your butt , abbreviated CYA , is an activity done by an individual to protect himself from possible subsequent criticism, legal penalties , or other impacts, usually in a work-related or bureaucratic context. On the one hand, it may be an appropriate step to protect yourself when in difficult situations, such as what steps to take to protect yourself after being fired. But, in a different sense, according to New York Times linguist William Safire, it describes "bureaucratic techniques to avoid future false or mistake allegations by diverting responsibility in advance". Often involves spreading responsibility for one's actions as a form of insurance against possible future negative impacts. This may indicate the kind of mentality that avoids institutional risks that work against accountability and responsibility, often marked by excessive documents and documentation, which can jeopardize the overall effectiveness of the institution. This activity, sometimes seen as instinctive, is generally unnecessary for achieving organizational goals, but helps protect certain individual careers within it, and it can be seen as the type of institutional corruption that works against individual initiatives.
Video Cover your ass
Usage
The phrase cover your butt is generally viewed as a vulgar term, often replaced by a less vulgar-sounding initials CYA Safire identifying CYA as synecdoche, in the same sense that the word "donkey" has become a reference for all people. The word "ass" in this phrase is often replaced with a more polite version or other euphemism, such as "cover your action", "cover the back", or "cover your butt", according to Safire. Variants of "cap your butt" have been used in various ways, such as by Minnesota health authorities urging residents to undergo a preventive colorectal examination, as a way to "cover" themselves medically from the possibility of cancer in the future. In banking, officers assigned to ensure banks follow proper regulatory procedures, called compliance officers, can be aware that certain dubious transactions, such as money laundering and terrorist financing, will occur without regulatory restrictions; However, in order to protect themselves and their banks from possible future sanctions, they may engage in CYA activities such as issuing unnecessary memos, obscuring documents or making tacit transactions, as a way to free themselves from possible future obligations. This term is widely used in journalism. Safire explains how this term is used in bureaucracy:
An advanced bureaucrat at CYA (a) likes to use passive construction (see Errors made), (b) follow a meeting or phone call with self-confess - "memorandum conversations ", (c) route memos to and through as many other bureaucrats as possible, thereby spreading the risk of criticism in the future, and (d)" paper files "with memoranda sometimes supportive and sometimes contrary to his or her position.
Because this practice is so routine, a sincere warning can be misinterpreted as a CYA behavior, causing a type II error or a false negative error, with destructive results. For example, in the summer before the 9/11 attacks, US President George W. Bush was briefed on a famous August 6th 2001 memo now titled Bin Laden Determined to Strike in US. Bush's response to the brief was reported: "Well, you covered your ass, now."
In another example, prior to the launch of the United States Challenger spacecraft which ended tragically with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, final approval by the rocket maker Morton Thiokol contained the phrase "information on this page is prepared to support oral presentations and can not be considered complete without oral discussions"; this notice is then described as "CYA notification". In print, it could have a disclaimer form; for example, Slate magazine suggests that the White House uses the phrase "It is important not to read too much in one monthly report" as a disclaimer on the report, and this is described as a CYA activity. This term has been applied in the medical profession to describe doctors who prescribe unnecessary medical tests for patients, to protect themselves from future lawsuits. This term has been used to describe cultural trends that work against accountability and risk taking, as in war effort when the generals engage in many activities that cover your ass that avoid real responsibility.
Maps Cover your ass
See also
- Due diligence
- Error created
- The principal-agent problem
Footnote
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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