Either way, the meaning is the same. Getting your act together is getting organized.
In business, it usually means to develop a calm and orderly plan of action.
It is difficult to tell exactly where the saying began. But, it is probable that it was in the theater or movie industry.
Perhaps one of the actors was nervous and made a lot of mistakes. The director may have said, "Calm down, now. Get your act together."
Word expert James Rogers says the expression was common by the late nineteen seventies.
Mister Rogers says the Manchester Guardian newspaper used it in nineteen seventy-eight.
The newspaper said a reform policy required that the British government "get its act together."
Now, this expression is heard often when officials of a company meet. One company even called its yearly report, "Getting Our Act Together."
The Japanese visitor was confused by another expression used by American business people. It is "cut to the chase."
