(Light a Fire Under 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.)

Light a Fire Under

Apparently, some people at your work are so lazy the only way your manager can get them to move is to light a fire under them.

Of course, the only managers that need to constantly light fires under their subordinates are the worst kinds of leaders. Most often, they’re from the seagull variety of managers. That is, they occasionally fly in, squawk a lot, shit all over everyone, and then fly away.

Yes, we know this conjures up unpleasant imagery; however, it’s nothing when compared to the image light a fire under someone creates for the literal among us.

Interestingly, these annoying managers don’t want to actually burn their subordinates to death when they light a fire under them; they just want to singe them a little; get their attention; get them moving.

We get it, if everyone always did what was best for the company, we never would’ve invented managers. Therefore, if you’re a manager, and you always find yourself needing to light a fire under someone, then you need a mirror, not a match. The problem is you, not your lazy subordinates.

Here’s a novel idea: perhaps you could stop vomiting clichés and start leading.

Odd advice, we know.

Replacement phrases: Motivate; Lead

See also: Come to Jesus Meeting

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