Meaning: To manage things very carefully and strictly.

Examples:

They say the new manager runs a tight ship.

The director expects all the teachers to run a tight ship.

They say he’s too easy-going and doesn’t run a very tight ship.

Pop Quiz:

Which best describes a boss who runs a tight ship?

A.  She keeps track of how often employees are late and she requires regular reports.

B.  She gives her employees lots of freedom and rarely notices when they make a mistake.

C.  She’s constantly joking around and she’s also quite disorganized.

To see the correct answer, click on “Continue reading”:

The correct answer is A. The boss sounds strict and organized, so you could say she runs a tight ship. What about you – do you run a tight ship?