Demystifying Management Phrases


business cartoon

This cartoon was a great deal of fun to write because I got to exorcise some old phrases I loathed hearing before I quit to become a cartoonist:

  • “Are you sue that’s the best way to handle this?” Apparently not, so why don’t you just tell me what you’d rather I do.
  • “Why don’t you give him a call back…” So I get to give them the bad news? Super!
  • “You may want to have another look at those.” So there’s a problem that needs to be corrected, but first I must solve a series of puzzles…

It’s one of my more popular cartoons because I think everyone recognizes this situation.

4 Comments ▼

Mark Anderson Mark Anderson's cartoons appear in publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. His business cartoons are available for licensing at his website, Andertoons.com.

4 Reactions
  1. Oh Mark, this made me howl with laughter.

    “Are you sue that’s the best way to handle this?” Apparently not, so why don’t you just tell me what you’d rather I do.

    How many times have I heard this?

    – Anita

  2. I think I said that to someone once right before I was let go.

  3. This is HILARIOUS! I love it! Thanks, Mark. 🙂

    Ti

  4. Yeah, the first question is a condescending way of the person saying what they want to say without saying what they REALLY want to say. They don’t trust your judgement/decision, but they’ll imply it by wrapping it up in a question.