8 Phrases You Must Stop Using Today

As we discussed in our recent post “Your Words Are Powerful,” you have so much influence over employees’ morale, productivity and even happiness. That’s why, as a leader, you have to be ultra-careful when you speak to employees.

Even seemingly innocent phrases can leave a lasting, negative impression, so do your best to avoid using the following eight phrases anytime you speak to your staff:

1. “I’ll just do it myself.” If you consistently refuse to delegate work, you are taking on too much and failing to build your employees’ skills. Worse, however, is that the statement can lead employees to believe that you doubt their intelligence, skills and abilities, and that is terrible for morale.
2. “We’re in real trouble here.” Even if you are concerned, as the leader, you can’t adopt a doom-and-gloom attitude. Your employees are looking to you to problem solve and find a way out of the current situation. Be honest and upfront, but also maintain a positive attitude, and chart a clear path to overcome the challenge.
3. “It’s not your job to do that.” If an employee comes to you with a problem or an idea or takes action on something that doesn’t typically fall under his or her job responsibilities, don’t get angry. Employees who take initiative are extremely valuable. Don’t stifle them.
4. “I’ll take care of that later.” When an employee comes to you with a real concern, don’t delay acting on it. Employee resentment will fester, or people will try to resolve issues on their own and could cause more problems. Address concerns as quickly as possible, and keep employees updated on your progress.
5. “That’s just how we’ve always done it.” No phrase kills innovation and creativity more than that phrase. When employees question processes, listen. And when they bring new ideas to the table, see the value in them and evaluate each one as a possible alternative to the status quo.
6. “I just don’t have the time.” As a leader, you must make time for your employees … always. Plan better, delegate more and procrastinate less to ensure that you have enough time to meet the demands of your job.
7. “This is your fault.” The best leaders share credit with their employees when they do something great and take the blame when their teams fall short. They don’t place blame and point fingers, but instead, they work to resolve issues quickly and come up with strategies for preventing similar mistakes in the future.
8. “That’s pretty good,” “That’s not half-bad” or “That’s OK.” You may utter those phrases because you don’t want to inflate employees’ egos. However, lackluster praise will more often than not backfire. Employees will be resentful, and they may even give up trying to impress you with hard work because they know you’ll simply see it as “pretty good.” When employees do something that warrants praise, share it wholeheartedly. Tell them exactly what they did well, and what it means to you.

What other cringe-worthy phrases have you heard leaders use? What seemingly innocent phrases have you used in the past that backfired on you? 

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