The 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss

  • Published on:
    October 13, 2015
  • Reading time by:
    3 minutes
The 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss

The 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss. Once you have been hired, you think you can let loose at the office right? Not so fast. It is important to consider the impact of everything you say at your work, especially when it comes to your boss. The one person who can affect how quickly you’ll climb your company’s ladder.

Read The 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss:

“I was talking with someone about the new team you started and I offered to volunteer my time. She’s excited that I can help!”
Yes, we get that you want to show your boss that you’re working hard. But only your boss should be the one who dictates how you allocate your time not you.
“Never take new initative without getting your boss’s permission first,” Ask your boss for more responsibility before taking actions and let your boss decide what you can do.

“I secured paramount lodging for the symposium.”
Don’t pick up the thesaurus every time you need to email your boss a simple memo. Instead of trying to impress her with big, overly formal words, keep your language short and concise: “I booked your hotel room for the conference.” “Save your landed gentry language for your fellow Jane Austen fans,” Fancy words will not impress any of your bosses if they have no idea what you’re talking about.

”All my kids are playing different sports and I’ve been asked to coach their teams.”
First of all, your boss is probably not interested in what you do outside the office. Never mind what you do with your husband kids or whatever. When you bring up things about your family, you will alert your boss to the fact that you won’t be able to work till late when the need rises. Keep your after-work plans to yourself, don’t explain them to anyone. Remember your boss is your boss not your BFF.

“It was nothing.” or “It’s no big deal.”
Don’t ever say that all the hard work that you have done, was ‘nothing’ or ‘it was no big deal’. Let your boss know you have put some effort into it. Women are often taught not to self-promote, so many of us are uncomfortable taking full credit for our work. Well let’s say from now on you will always take full credit for your work that you have done. So accept compliments and show you have done something good to the company you work at. You don’t need to toot your own horn, but at least learn to smile and say “Thank you.”

“There are some around here who are online shopping during the workday.”
Nobody likes a snitch or a rat. Don’t bring your co-workers down by saying this is one of The 10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss. Focus on being fabulous at what you do. If you notice what other people do at work trust that your boss knows what’s going on, too. Don’t point out what everyone else is doing wrong, but make sure you show what you are doing right.

“Well, I emailed you before about _____.”
If your boss didn’t read your email, consider it your problem. “Most people feel like when they hit the ‘Send’ button, they no longer hold responsibility,”  “It’s on the recipient to magically read everything and comprehend it.” If your boss doesn’t reply to an email you need feedback on, politely follow-up to ensure she received it. Also, keep in mind that email is fine for basic communication, but if you need to relay important or time-sensitive information, pick up the phone—or better yet, walk down the hall and tell your boss in person.

“Why did Sharon or someone blabla get a promotion instead of me?”
Sounds hard but the answer to this question is really none of your business according to your boss. And the fact that you’re pressing your boss is just going to remind her why this person is a such better employee.. Yes it’s true. Always focus on YOUR job. Not someone else’s.  Try to say that you feel ready to be more responsible and hopefully your boss agrees.  And ask if there’s any suggestions on how you can expand your role in the company.

“This place would not survive without me.”
If you say this, you will be seen as an arrogant person, which is probably not true. If you want your boss to take note of your achievements, ask her for feedback every few months or when you finish a project. The focus should be on concrete goals that you’ve met—not abstract statements that only serve to pat you on the back.

“I have some good gossip to tell you!”
Never feed the office rumor mill—even if you think your boss would be interested or it could earn you Brownie points. “It will likely come back to haunt you,”  “There is such a thing as corporate karma!” While it’s tempting to take the opportunity to try to befriend your boss, chances are your attempt will backfire, so resist the urge to spread petty gossip—no matter how juicy.

“That’s not how we did it at my old job.”
Who cares what or how you did anything at your old job? Think about it, no one wants to know that.  If you can’t stop talking about your old job, your boss will probably wonder why you left it in the first place. “A truly marvelous way to torpedo your career is to constantly reference your former workplace,”  “Get with the program!”

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