12 Words and Phrases Never to Use in the Workplace

Excluding the minorities, every person wants to own his/her own empire. A home or a business, everyone likes the people to follow his mind and help them fulfill their goals to achieve a life he or she had ever dreamt of.

If you are one such person with dreams like this, you are the one willing to be a leader. Leading a team of professionals is far more different than leading a family. And if you wish to be perceived as a leader, specifically at your work place, you need to change yourself and adopt certain attitudes and habits, before you can make anyone believe in and follow you.

Starting with effective communication is the basic step you need to take, if you are looking forward adopt an attitude of a leader. The best place to take a start is choosing your words deliberately. Stuff yourself with a vocabulary that empowers you and your subordinates or co-workers. Prefer to use words or phrases that motivates, captivate or inspires others. Apart from these verbal capabilities, you also need to pay attention to your tone and adopt a manner that conveys confidence, clarity and add credibility to your words.

There are a number of phrases that are career limited and potentially jeopardize the professional image of any person. These words apparently seem harmless to the speaker but have a huge impact on the listener. In the work place where there is a tough competition between the employees, the use of such harmful phrases can be a tsunami that can swipe away all the efforts of the person.  Experts suggest to replace these words with those that convey a positive image of you and your approach and present a collaborative spirit, professional demeanor and protective attitude jobs in pakistan

Here are 12 phrases that you must never use while communicating with your professional peers.

  • It is not fair…….

He got a rise but you didn’t. People enjoy your problems, and this is a natural phenomenon that can be seen among people. They enjoy your pain and thus there are many keep pushing you to pain. No matter if it’s serious issue at work or a problem or a global issue, the point is to avoid using phrases that are more complaining or event worse.

Rather than complaining, better would be if you work strategically. Build a case, come up with intelligent arguments that are based on solid grounds and sit with those potentials only who are able to help you in this matter.

  • I believe or I think……

Just review the two statements, “I believe that our company might be a productive partner for you” and “I think our company will be a productive partner for you”

The words are a bit tailored but the communicated conviction is intense. Phrases like think and might make you sound insecure and unsure about the message you tried to deliver. While the second sentence is certain and assertive. Prefer to use words like believe and will instead of think and might etc.

  • Don’t get paid enough for this task, this is not in my job description, this is not my problem!

Avoid using such phrases. What if you ask someone for help and they give you one such reply? How would that feel? Being a contributing member of the society, you must take every task positively, you must take care of others priorities. There are chances that a task that might not look much important to you, is of great importance for the person who is asking you for help.  A team player never leaves its peers alone, rather they stand with them in any circumstance. They care about the success and problems of others, while keeping theirs’ at the top of their priority list.

If you are showing an unconcerned, self-serving and detached attitude as work, you will come up with a limited career progress.

But it doesn’t mean that you have to say a YES! All you need to do is to articulate the words and be thoughtful while saying a NO!

For instance, if your boss asks you to do something for him that is out of your JD, rather than saying “You got to be kidding me!” say that; “I will be glad to help you with it. Please tell me which one from the task 1,2,3 should I put on hold to get this new assigned task done?”

By doing so you will politely present your boss with the idea that you are already stuffed with loads of work but you are still helpful to him. It will also deliver an impression to him to adopt some realistic expectations.

  • Not a problem…….

A polite and courteous reply to a “Thanks” is “You are welcome!”

It implies a meaning that it was a pleasure to help the person and in return you get the appreciation. Despite the previously used phrase “Not a problem....” implies the same but it falls short now.  It is believed that, under some circumstances it complies the meaning that it could have been a problem for the person in some ways.

So in your professional life, if you are willing to be considered as well-manner person, reply to “Thank You” with “You are welcome.”

 

  • I will give it a try or I will try……….

Imagine you have asked one of your friends asked you to post a letter for him, today, before 4 o’clock and he replies with “Ok, I will try…” the first thought after listening to these words will be “probably you have to get it done by yourself or ask someone else” the reason for so is that the statement “I will try” Is raising some questions and implies thepossibility of failure.

While communicating with the professional peers, you need to take the words like “try” or “may be” out of your vocabulary and focus on the words that deliver your determination. Thou, look small but will surely add volume to your discussions or opinions.

  • They are lazy, I don’t like my job, I hate this company……

If you really want to sunk your career, start name calling. Things like name-calling shows a school level immaturity and in professional life it is either fore-able or liable.

In a professional atmosphere, you must avoid to be judgmental and unkind, as such attitudes with reflect poorly on you. It is obvious to have issues with someone, if they are genuine, try to communicate the problem with tact, neutrality and consideration.

  • “But I have been doing it this way, since ever!”

Innovation is something every organization and leader demands of and take want it to be a core element in any person they are working with and for them.

Innovation, problem solving, and creative thinking is something searched in every employee. Using statements like “But I have been doing it this way….” Shows something opposite to the fact of innovation and creativity. It shows you are a person with close mind, limited approach and inflexibility to adopt innovation. Replace such statements with “That seems an interesting way to do this task”, “This is a different way to do this”, “lets discuss the pros and cons of this process.”

  • It’s impossible, there is nothing that I can do…...

Such words mean that you are conveying a pessimistic and hopeless attitude. Such approach is not much appreciated or welcomed at a workplace. Every organization welcome and promote the can-do attitude. No matter how complicated the circumstances are, always communicate your can-do attitude through the words.

Instead of saying a direct no as mentioned above, try to say something like “let’s discuss the possibilities” or “let me give it a try” etc.

  • You should/could have……...

You might not feel any good if someone says to you that you should/could have explained it sooner. Such statements induce feelings of blame or pin-pointing any person for any situation. An ideal work place foster equality, team work, collaboration and respect for all.

Try not to be judgmental and take a productive approach. If you face any such situation, try to reply with statements like “Next time, please bring it to my knowledge immediately!” or “I will recommend you to…….”

  • You People……!

Never use such phrase in professional environment, you can keep it aside for a friends gathering. Referring such phrase to a group of people is wrong in a number of ways. It does not suit if the group has females in it, and it is a slang that shows a lower level of professionalism.

Rather than including words like you guys or you people in your professional communication, use words like your team, your organization, or just you.

Rather than using such words in the Price explains. With fellow professionals such as your boss, co-workers and clients, substitute “you guys” with terms such as “your organization” or “your team” or simply “you.”

  • It seems like a pointless idea, but……. Or May be it’s wrong, but….

Such phrases show a discounting. They spoil the impact of lower credibility specially toward the person who is giving the suggestion. The words we use in our communication reveal about how we perceive the world and the people around us, the value we place on our self and the message we try to deliver. So try to avoid words that devalue what and who you are.

Replace such statements with the phrases like; “I would recommend” or “I suggest that….”

  • “Don’t you think so?”

Such statements are called as prevarication that means seeking the validation through the use of over cautious and unsure words. If you are really looking for approval or any kind of validation, you can apply these phrases. But if you are willing to command a message confidently or communicate what you have decided, or to persuade people, make a recommendation or statement with conviction.

And the list goes on…! Communication is something that comes with infinite options and infinite suggestions and recommendations with varying sets of words and phrases. These sets have both positive and negative impacts in different situations with different backgrounds and aims to achieve.

We cannot say that these statements will make you communicate effectively in your work place. There is much more to learn and get grip on. So if you want to master the professional communication, sky is the limit.

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