Corporate Climbers Mugs

"I can't remember - do I work at home or do I live at work?"

Presentation: Thinking each other are idiots.

'Can you do more work then is humanly possible?'

"You're in luck. We have an opening for low man on the totem pole."

'I'm a bit pressed for time. Give me your one-minute elevator pitch.'

"I spent hundreds of dollars on a course for entrepreneurs then found out the fire in my belly was acid reflux."

'An MBA from Harvard is quite impressive. But you'll still have to start off at the bottom here. You start serving coffee in the cafeteria on Monday.'

Remembers: Elevators can go down as well as up.

'Whomever pulls the sword from the stone will lead this project.'

"I have to start thinking out of the box."

"If you're wondering why you've been chosen 'Employee of the week,' it's because your work load is about to increase, while your pay remains the same."

'Our short-term solution is money. Our long-term solution is more money.'

'I tell this to all recent hires. Good enough is neither good nor enough.'

'We're ready to move you to the top, Hopkins... but we don't know how much loneliness you can tolerate.'

The back of a boss' desk which reads 'Focus'.

'I knew him when he was just the tea boy.'

Two plans - one long-term and one short-term.

'He refused to climb the ladder without a safety net.'

Dead Man Presents Flat Line At Meeting

"I hate performance review season."

Workaholics anonymous meeting.

"Liked your proposal, but like everything, it's on the back burner."

'Times are tough, Smith, but I don't want to lay you off. So, to keep you working, I want you to wash our building. That should keep you busy for the next decade.'

It had taken nine months, but Jim was finally ready to go back into his boss's office and claim his raise.

Corporate Protocol

"Portrait? - what portrait ?"

Call me Nancy.

'I'll push the buttons around here.'

Micromanage / Nanomanage

"Logistically impressive Hodges, but does this qualify you for a leadership role in the company?"

"Please! Let me through. I don't have time to go around."

"It wasn't until I discovered how much the upper one per cent were losing on dividends that I became a truly compassionate conservative."

"Denise, for this afternoon's meeting, get some facts and place them at my fingertips."

"I worked my way up from a goddamn steamboat - I am the American Dream."

'One thing about a recession - it separates the men from the boys.'