The fish rots from the head first

A woman was approaching an issue at work with our boss. She was demanding support from her managment for herself, for the technicians, and for the validity of their test methods. She was visibly upset. "Ya know, the fish rots from the head first...."

WOAH. An awkward giggle game from one of my co-workers. Everyone else hushed. Are you supposed to tell your boss that?

(what does that even mean?)

It's not in my fabulous dictionary! So I go online. This phrase is used in business and politics a lot. It's not succinctly defined. So let me take you through the thought...

The head = management / head(s) of government
How management/government acts reflects upon those they manage/govern.
Usually this term is used with a negative connotation (so it seems)
So if management/government is corrupt/not doing an ideal job, it will reflect poorly on the rest of the company.

Thus, a business will crumble from the top down, the head first.

Apparently there's a book about it

See what Wickipeida has to say about the phrase: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_of_the_Leader

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The Fish Rots from the Head (First)

My Score Card for this idiom:
Able to be understood initially?: yes
Able to be understood once explained?: yes

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See? I'm catchin' on,
An ever-improving American