“Wasch mich, aber mach mich nicht nass”

One of the German idioms that I often hear at the office is “Wasch mich, aber mach mich nicht nass.” 

The English translation is “Wash me, but don’t make me wet.” 

The phrase is used to describe someone who wants to enjoy the benefits of some outcome, but who does not want to do the work or contribute to the work necessary to bring about the outcome. 

There are some English idioms that approach this (“have your cake and eat it, too;” “do as I say, not as so do,”) but the German original is my favorite. It’s devoid of malice and casual in its disregard for the work, whistling without lifting a finger, just waiting to reap the outcome’s rewards.

Surely we’ve all encountered that character at work.