📈 Kick Upstairs, To: Climbing the Corporate Ladder or Descending into Oblivion? 📉
Kick upstairs, to - To promote someone to a higher rank with less responsibility in order to get him or her out of the way. Although one may tend to associate this expression with modern business practices, it was already being used in the early nineteenth century. J. W. Croker recorded it in an 1821 diary entry: “Lord Melville informs me that he is about to be kicked upstairs (his expression) to be Secretary of State.”
Related Terms & Expressions:
- Sideline Promotion: A promotion that removes a problematic individual from direct impact.
- Golden Handcuffs: A situation where someone is paid well to stay in a less important role.
- Figurehead: A leader or person who is given a title but no real power.
Synonyms:
- Bury in Bureaucracy:
- Put on Ice:
- Send to Siberia:
- Promote and Pacify:
Antonyms:
- In the Thick of Things:
- Hands-on Leadership:
- Frontline Manager:
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “Getting kicked upstairs: the only time a promotion feels more like a demotion.”
- “Promotions are not always what they seem. Sometimes, they’re like putting whipped cream on a burnt pie.”
Proverbs:
- “Not all that glitters is gold.” (Applies here where not all promotions are desirable)
- “Out of sight, out of mind.” (Reflects the intention behind kicking someone upstairs)
Literary References:
- “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller - Demonstrates bureaucratic absurdities and meaningless promotions.
- “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller - Highlights corporate maneuvering and displacement.
Movies & TV Shows:
- “The Office” - Various characters get dubious promotions that hardly change their roles.
- “Dilbert” (TV Series) - Filled with corporate satire where promotions often serve to sideline.
- “Office Space” - Satirical look at corporate shenanigans and managerial maneuvers.
Songs:
- “Take this Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck - A raging anthem against undesirable job roles.
- “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy - Reflects on the sometimes-soul-crushing climb up the corporate ladder.
### Which of these phrases is a synonym for 'kick upstairs, to'?
- [ ] Jump the gun
- [ ] Pull the plug
- [x] Bury in bureaucracy
- [ ] Spill the beans
> **Explanation:** "Bury in bureaucracy" is a synonym for 'kick upstairs, to'. It implies moving someone to a higher position but rendering them ineffective through red tape.
### Which literary work deals with meaningless promotions akin to 'kick upstairs, to'?
- [ ] The Great Gatsby
- [ ] Moby-Dick
- [x] Catch-22
- [ ] Pride and Prejudice
> **Explanation:** Joseph Heller's "Catch-22" deals extensively with bureaucratic absurdities and promotions that serve to sideline individuals.
### True or False: 'Kick upstairs, to' is a modern business idiom originating in the 21st century.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** Falso! The expression dates back to the early nineteenth century. It was famously used in J. W. Croker's diary in 1821.
“To move forward sometimes means being moved upward—whether to a pedestal or a shelf depends on the outcome and intention.”
🚀🤓
- Eileen Dover
