(Game Time is an annoying business term and is just one of the 212 Most Annoying Business Phrases Managers Effuse, Confuse, and Overuse detailed in the hilarious must-have guide for every workplace: The 30,000-Pound Gorilla in the Room. Available right now on Amazon.)

Game Time

Your manager wants to be sure everyone knows today is an important day. Perhaps you’re meeting with a new client or the big boss is coming in from corporate. Whatever the event, he announces that it’s game time.

Game time, of course, doesn’t mean we pull out the Scrabble board or grab a deck of cards. It means everyone needs to be ready for action; ready to be on our best behavior; ready to give 110%.

Ugh.

Often, those who use this term in the workplace will also clap their hands a few times to emphasize that it truly is game time, people!

These annoying managers are also prone to high five employees throughout the day like it’s 1985. They’ll throw up their hand for a high five or thrust their arm forward for a fist bump for anything they see as an accomplishment.

From landing a new account to simply filling the coffee pot, their subordinates and coworkers are subjected to constant hand slapping followed by the occasional “alright!”

If your manager announces game time and only follows this with an awkward high five or a fist bump, you should feel lucky. If this was still 1985, they’d follow that high five with a soft butt slap.

Thankfully, butt slaps are no longer acceptable in the workplace – he knows he’d be fired – otherwise, your butt would feel the love from his hand multiple times a week.

Unfortunately, high fives, fist bumps, and announcements of game time won’t get him fired.

If only.

Replacement phrases: No replacement needed because it’s never really game time when you’re at work.

See also: Game Plan

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The 30,000-Pound Gorilla in the Room is available on Amazon