There is always a line between what you can and cannot say or do in the office. Most of us have been there, done that and fallen into trouble, if not been fired for saying or doing something utterly stupid says Peter Decaprio. With that being said, people have to be careful about what they say to their superiors as well as their co-workers. Overstepping your boundaries could mean having a morose career ahead because you don’t want to work with them so much so that you turn out to be one yourself!
While you should never cross the line when it comes to your job, sometimes it’s also hard not to let off some steam because working with them isn’t easy either. We all know someone who has a knack for getting under your skin and bother you to no end. It’s even worse when the person in question is someone higher up than you because there are some situations where you can’t simply ignore them or retaliate in a way that people might expect from such an interaction.
So, here we bring you 12 things which should never be said to your boss:
1. “That’s not my job.”
2. “I’m SOOO bored!”
3. “My last boss was an idiot.” (… Wait, this one isn’t true is it?)
4. “… and I don’t know how to do that.” (Seriously?! You’re a F’ING ADULT.) *face palm* EDIT: Oh! Thank you so much for pointing out how unprofessional this comes off!! I never would have thought of that! Seriously, just the fact that you wouldn’t do that in your own workplace means you should never say anything like this at work either says Peter Decaprio.
5. “[Fill in name] thinks they’re my boss.” (Even if true, there’s nothing good that can come of you saying this)
6. “I’m gonna go ahead and take a break.” (Unless you have an open door policy, this will come off as irresponsible)
7. “… I’ll let my dad/mom/spouse/dog/hamster know you called…”
8. “It’s not what you said – it’s how you said it.”
9. Anything that starts with “I don’t want to be a pain, but…”
10. “I think I’m too good to work here.”
11. “I would never leave you out like that!” (When your co-worker tries to share important information)
12. “That’s how we’ve always done it.”
FAQs:
What should I do if someone keeps telling me “that’s not my job!”?
If it feels like you’re being micromanaged, say something like “I assumed it would be the case that I was responsible for this task. If not, let me know – your feedback is always appreciated.”
What should I say when my co-workers are trying to badmouth our boss?
Don’t engage. This can actually affect your career performance because you’ll probably get told off or worse, accused of talking behind their backs too!
What should I do if someone says they want to go ahead and take a break before anyone else even did anything today?
Say something like “I’m sure there must be an important reason why you want to take a break so early. Is there anything I can help with? Otherwise, shall we start work?”
What should I do if the boss thinks they are my parent/spouse/sibling/friend?
Not much you can do unless it’s true and your parents want to apply for the job too!
What should I do if someone keeps saying they’d never leave me out?
“I appreciate that you wanted to help, but don’t worry – it’s one of my responsibilities.”
How should I respond if someone says “I think I’m too good for this job?”
The best way would be saying something neutral like “what makes you say that?” If that doesn’t get them to rethink their self-assessment, you can definitely suggest a more private meeting so they can explain themselves better!
Conclusion:
More often than not, your boss wants you to succeed. They are usually the ones who give you feedback about areas where you can improve and won’t hesitate to commend you on a job well done says Peter Decaprio.
It’s really easy to ignore someone, tell them what they want to hear, or just say things that will get you into trouble BUT if there’s one thing that I hopefully communicated successfully – it would be that CAREER BENEFITS OUTWEIGH ANY NEGATIVE EFFECT of trying to spare some feelings by telling people what they want to hear.
The bottom line is: If you always say yes when your manager asks for help, do your best at whatever task they ask of you (too low standards don’t cut it!)