[ironMonkey]

>- the 1st, sounding great in Russian, yet hard to translate, is "work energetically like f&cking or f&ck off"

it is a simple "work your ass out or walk your ass out" without the unnecessary slavic macho-bravade of foul words.

[trhway]

thanks, it is definitely good translation, and i'll add it to my English.

In this case I intentionally tried (and looks like i succeeded :) to deliver the "slavic macho-bravade of foul words" (well put, you definitely have a way with words) as expressed by the CEO as it is a directly related to that harsh firing and very illustrative of the CEO part of the picture.

[throwaway675309]

Speaking as a former ESL teacher, I wouldn't. I've never heard such an English saying and it sounds rather unnatural. A more idiomatic equivalent would be, "shape up or ship out."