committees

Appointed working groups

Committees is the plural of committee—a group of people appointed or elected to perform a specific function, usually within a larger organization.

Committees deliberate, investigate, or make recommendations: The budget committee meets on Thursdays, She serves on three committees.

The word often implies bureaucratic slowness: Death by committee.

deliberation

discussion

Exchange of ideas

debateFormal argument on issues
consultationMeeting seeking expert guidance
considerationCareful thought or compensation

analysis · evaluation · brainstorming · planning · dialogue · discourse · negotiation · review · mediation · conferencing

governance

administration

Organizational oversight and control

policyAdopted principle of action
regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
managementOrganizing and directing resources

authority · jurisdiction · oversight · stewardship · legislation · mandate · protocol · procedure · framework · charter

assembly

convention

Agreed standard of behavior

conferenceOrganized meeting for discussion
caucusParty selection meeting
forumGathering place for discourse

summit · gathering · convocation · plenary · session · roundtable · symposium · conclave · delegation · constituency

collaboration

teamwork

Joint effort toward shared aim

coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
partnershipShared business arrangement

consensus · coalition · alliance · bipartisan · cross-functional · interagency · liaison · stakeholders · collective · unified

panel

jury

Legal decision-making body

tribunalJudicial decision-making body
adjudicatorsThose who formally decide
reviewersThose who assess work

assessors · examiners · arbitrators · judges · selectors · evaluators · experts · screening · vetting · nomination

Categories

group activitiesgroup games, voting, protest, group dance, group project
bureaucracybureaucracy, bureaucrat, bureaucrats, red tape, civil service
governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
hobby clubsmembers, meetings, dues, membership dues, memberships
international lawinternational law, treaty, treaties, conventions, protocols
bureaucracy in filmred tape, paperwork, civil servants, government officials, agencies

Opposites

organizational scope

committeesfull assembly

general assembly · parliament · legislature · plenum · full house

group vs. individual action

committeesindividuals

Separate, distinct people

autocrat · dictator · executive · chairman · lone wolf

formal vs. informal structure

committeesmobs

Chaotic, lawless gatherings

Phrases

oversight committeePanel monitoring institutional conduct
committed adulteryWas sexually unfaithful while married
committed relationshipMutual pledge between partners
committed to memoryLearned by heart
committed suicideIntentionally caused own death
executive committeeOrganization's top decision-makers

Family

committed, committee, uncommitted, subcommittee, recommitted, committeeman, decommitted, precommitted, committeewoman

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G