Mexico, Motivation, Working for People

Making the Bed for the Coach

Hacerle la cama al técnico, “to make the bed for the coach,” is a Mexican football expression. The sports newspaper Récord explains that cama comes from camarilla, a clique. It is a football saying used “para insinuar que parte del plantel” (to insinuate that part of the squad) is undermining its coach.

In March 2025, Hugo Sánchez spoke on the ESPN program Futbol Picante about his time as coach of Pumas. He said that players commonly do this to a coach when they are not comfortable with him, and that his own squad had done it to him. “Me hicieron la camita, de manera indirecta” (They made the little bed for me, indirectly), he said, according to Récord. (Video in Spanish.)

A Favor Between Friends

Hazme el paro, “do me the paro,” is how a Mexican asks a friend for a favor. In 2022, Uno TV explained that among friends people speak of doing a paro, “que quiere decir favor” (which means a favor). Chilango describes hacer el paro as doing someone a favor or helping them through a hard time.

Godínez

Godínez is Mexican slang for an office worker. In 2015, Chilango published a short glossary of the godínez. It describes an employee who brings his own dishes to work, tries to keep his punctuality bonus, and “se pela a las 6 empunto de la oficina” (is out of the office at six on the dot).

Leaving the Boss

In March 2023, Emprendedor.com reported a survey by the job site Computrabajo on why people in Mexico quit their jobs. The most common reason was malos jefes, bad bosses, named by 43 percent. The article sums it up: “4 de cada 10 trabajadores han renunciado a causa de un liderazgo negativo” (4 in 10 workers have resigned because of negative leadership).

The article does not give the size of the sample or the dates of the survey.