This is part 3 of my series of what office lingo tends to bring about the management corporate jobs and big bucks… Remember, you’re only as good as the bullcrap you’re remembered by in big business!

“Wrapped around the axle”- this saying goes along with the phrase about being thrown under a bus, but it usually gives very little hope of recovery.

“Open up the kimono a little”- this happens to be a big favorite of most and it refers to giving the client a little incentive. It can also be a tactic for promotion!

“Electric third rail”- This phrase references something that you ant a co-worker to stay clear of.

“900lb gorilla”- This should be used in the most extreme cases of bad. I would rather take my chances with a third rail than a 900lb gorilla any day.

“Skinning the cat”- Okay, so this is a rather gruesome idea, but it gets people’s attention. It is usually referencing getting a big job done that nobody else wants to do.

“Shoot your wad”- This is a G-rated sight folks, so get your mind out of the gutters… or perhaps it is just I who should, but anyway, this means giving everything that you have. People usually only have one wad to shoot, so aim it carefully!

“Burnin’ the bridge”- The world of business is all about building bridges. If you tell someone that they have burnt one that is almost the same as telling them that they better start looking for another job.

“Behind the 8 ball”- “We need to get behind the 8 ball on this one.” This is supposed to be encouraging and uplifting lingo reminding the team that they need to keep to the strategic business plans and work into a winning position.

*photo courtesy of Torli at Stock.xchng

“Gophering”- This refers to doing whatever is necessary to keep a client happy… no matter how embarrassing and degrading!

“Run it up the flag pole”- “Why don’t you go out with your clients and run it up the flag pole.” This phrase references getting down to business, making sure everybody is on the same page and is in full understanding of what is about to go down.