Everyday Office Jargon · Managing Director level

"Climb the ladder"

"Climb the ladder" means to advance through the ranks of a company or career over time, typically through performance, tenure, or politics.

Say this instead: get promoted

How "Climb the ladder" shows up at work

Used approvingly by managers describing ambitious employees, and used exhaustedly by those employees describing the last five years of their life. The ladder is real; the rungs are spaced further apart than advertised.

Buzzword

She's clearly motivated to climb the ladder and take on more responsibility.

Plain English

She's clearly motivated to advance and take on more responsibility.

Corporate Rank: Managing Director · Category: Everyday Office Jargon

Stop sounding like the buzzword.

Buzzkill highlights "Climb the ladder" and 634 other buzzwords in Gmail and LinkedIn, and rewrites them to plain English in one click. Free to try, 100% local.

Add to Chrome, free

More Everyday Office Jargon: 30,000 ft. View · 800-pound gorilla · A day late and a dollar short · A lot on my plate · Above my pay grade · Ace in the hole

All Everyday Office Jargon · The full library · What's your Corporate Rank?