Even the best of us say stupid things from time to time. Sometimes it’s a joking comment that comes out sounding a little more offensive than it was intended to. Sometimes you’re having a bad day and snap out a snarky remark without thinking.
The occasional slip can be forgiven, but if you don’t want to be remembered as the guy that always has his foot in his mouth, then you should keep this list of phrases to avoid in mind when you’re chatting with your boss:
1 – That’s impossible.
Saying something can’t be done makes you sound short sighted, and also makes you sound like you aren’t willing to put the effort in to find a solution. Try to avoid the word “impossible” at all times, but if you must say it, make sure you follow up with an alternative that could achieve the desired result.
2 – That’s not my problem.
It may be frustrating to you, as a dedicated telecoms tech, to have your boss keep asking you to help out the guys in ecommerce fulfillment. Believe me, it’s just as frustrating to your boss that he has to keep asking someone to pick up the slack. Your boss knows that he’s asking you to do extra work, and he is noticing that you’re doing it without complaint.
3 – This isn’t in my job description.
During your day to day work you will probably do a lot of things that aren’t in your job description, but you probably enjoy a lot of perks that weren’t promised either. Don’t complain about the extra work unless you’re wiling to get called on those extra perks.
4 – Is it important that I get this finished?
Don’t insult your boss by asking if a task he’s assigned you is important. Instead of wasting time asking questions that could offend your boss, just get the work done.
5 – That’s a No Brainer
When your boss asks you if it’s possible to improve the targeting of your company’s online advertising, the answer may be obvious to you – but you live and breathe the world of internet business services. Saying something’s a “No brainer” is a tired cliche at best, and potentially offensive at worst. Your boss might not hear a flippant expression, he might hear “Of course that’s easy, you idiot”. Even if he doesn’t take offense, he might decide that your job is easy, and hire someone less experienced (read: cheaper) to do it instead.
6 – Let’s be friends on Facebook.
The only time it’s worth adding your boss on Facebook is if your Facebook page is part of your work. And you don’t post anything social on it! If you ever complain about work, plan drunken nights out, or post wacky pictures, don’t expand your social media circle to include people from the office. There’s a real chance that it might backfire.
7 – I don’t get paid enough for this.
Complaining about your wages presents you as a whiner, and you don’t want your boss to hear you complain too often. If you want to complain and vent, do it around friends that don’t work for the same company as you.
About the author: This post was written by Amy Fowler on behalf of Hallmark Consumer Services, an organization that can help your company with internet business services.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Martin Thomas.