Original artwork, not a still
Just hold on, please. Okay, if we do lose-lose, neither of you gets what you want. Do you understand? You would both lose.
— The Office (U.S.) • 2005
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Michael has just read a management pamphlet and is delivering it with the gravity of a hostage negotiator, so even the obvious point that two losers both lose sounds like a revelation. The joke is his need to be the wise boss while giving advice nobody asked for, and the win-win-win twist where he credits himself. Fans quote it to mock corporate jargon and any pompous attempt at workplace mediation.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The Office (U.S.)Show the scene
In "Conflict Resolution" (Season 2, episode 21), Michael hears Oscar complain to Toby about Angela's poster of babies, which first appeared in "Christmas Party", and decides to mediate himself. In the conference room he opens a "Mediators Toolchest" and tells Oscar and Angela that there are five styles of conflict, starting with lose-lose. When Oscar tries to hurry him along, Michael asks them to hold on and explains what lose-lose means. He then moves up to win-win and his own invention, win-win-win, where he gets to win too.
Sources (2)
- Springfield! Springfield! transcript, s02e21whole page, mediation sceneReference checked
- Wikipedia: Conflict Resolution (The Office)Lead and PlotReference checked
Context reviewed
