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skin in the game
01
a personal investment or stake in a particular outcome, which motivates a person to be committed to achieving success or avoiding failure
Dialect
American
American
What is the origin of the idiom "skin in the game" and when to use it?
The idiom "skin in the game" is derived from the concept of gambling, where a person who puts their own money on the line is said to have "skin in the game." The phrase is used to describe someone who has a personal interest in the outcome of a situation, and is therefore more likely to be invested in the outcome and to take action to ensure that it is successful.
Examples
The company's executives have a lot of skin in the game because a significant portion of their compensation is tied to the company's stock performance. They will gain or lose based on how well the company does.
The shareholders voted against the executives' large bonuses because they felt the executives did not actually have enough skin in the game since the bonuses were guaranteed regardless of the company's performance.
