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  • Monday, October 22, 2007

    Cube Monkeys: A handbook for surviing the office jungle

    Boss-to-English Translator: What your boss says and what he really means
    Do you ever feel a trip to your boss's office is like a trip to a foreign country? Nice view, but no speaka dee English? In order to ensure that none of the buck passing, put- downing, or one- upping is lost in translation, make sure to bring along this cheat sheet so you know what the big enchilada is really trying to say.

    "Great job on the report!"
    Translation: "I'm taking credit for your work."
    "I have to attend an off-site meeting."
    Translation: "I'm having an affair."
    "Let me give you some broadstroke ideas and you can fill in the rest."
    Translation: "I still haven't learned how to create an Excel document."
    "Headquarters has assured me we will not be affected by the merger."
    Translation: "You are going to be fired."
    "I'm not sure if what you are suggesting is in alignment with our core competencies."
    Translation: "What exactly do we do again?"
    "I'll be out of the office for a couple hours with senior management, but you can reach me on my mobile."
    Translation: "I'm playing golf."
    "I'll be off-site and unreachable for the rest of the afternoon."
    Translation: "I'm playing golf and I expect to be very, very drunk."
    "It's good to see you take such bold initiative!"
    Translation: "You are a threat to me. You will be fired the next time we so much as run out of coffee."

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