Why is "Let's circle back." funny?

Office-speak

Who it channels

The manager parking a topic indefinitely.

Where it comes from

Corporate-speak for returning to a subject later — a return that is famously theoretical.

Why it lands

"Circle back" makes avoidance sound like a flight plan. Everyone who has sat in a meeting knows the circle rarely closes, and saying it deadpan summons every manager who has ever said it.

How to drop it

A friend asks when you will pay them back. You nod thoughtfully: "Let's circle back on that."