People as Resources
For years I've always cringed in meetings when managers sitting around a table describe members of their teams as faceless, "resources." It's come to a point where it almost feels like a swear. I've never liked it because I feel like it dehumanizes people to break them down to a level where they're a set of generic skills to be allocated to a project.
I've caught myself on more than on occasion saying, "You mean people, right? They're people... who sit right over there."
Believe me, I get the business reason it's done; it's much easier to replace a faceless resource than it is to replace a person you have drinks and lunch with. It's also terminology everyone uses (almost an industry standard at this point). To me, it's weird, really cold, and unnecessary; I try my best to not use it.
I'm happy to say that this isn't really a problem at Fresh Tilled Soil (where I work); people are treated like people - it's quite a thing to witness. Every once in a while I'll hear the, "R" word get dropped but it's few and far between.
Try using people or team members next time you need to use the word resources (when talking about projects). It completely changes the tone of the conversation.