We get it.
Work can be hard. REAL HARD. However there a few things you should leave out of your vocabulary. Travis Bradley at Success.com fills us in on how to make our work life great by eliminating these 11 sayings.
1. “It’s not fair.”
Everyone knows that life isn’t fair. Saying it’s not fair suggests that you think life is supposed to be fair, which makes you look immature and naive.
2. “This is the way it’s always been done.”
Technology-fueled change is happening so fast that even a 6-month-old process could be outdated. Saying this is the way it’s always been done not only makes you sound lazy and resistant to change, but it could make your boss wonder why you haven’t tried to improve things on your own.
3. “No problem.”
When someone asks you to do something or thanks you for doing something, and you tell them no problem, you’re implying that their request should have been a problem. This makes people feel as though they’ve imposed upon you.
Instead, show people you’re happy to do your job. Say something like “It was my pleasure” or “I’ll be happy to take care of that.”
4. “I think/This might be a silly idea/I’m going to ask a stupid question.”
These overly passive phrases instantly erode your credibility. Even if you follow these phrases with a great idea, they suggest you lack confidence, which makes the people you’re speaking to lose confidence in you.
Don’t be your own worst critic. If you’re not confident in what you’re saying, no one else will be either.
5. “This will only take a minute.”
Saying something only takes a minute undermines your skills and gives the impression that you rush through tasks. Unless you’re literally going to complete the task in 60 seconds, feel free to say that it won’t take long, but don’t make it sound as if the task can be completed any sooner than it can actually be finished.
6. “I’ll try.”
Just like the word think, try sounds tentative and suggests you lack confidence in your ability to execute the task. Take full ownership of your capabilities. If you’re asked to do something, either commit to doing it or offer an alternative, but don’t say that you’ll try because it sounds like you won’t try all that hard.
7. “He’s lazy/incompetent/a jerk.”
There is no upside to making a disparaging remark about a colleague. If your remark is accurate, everybody already knows it, so there’s no need to point it out. If your remark is inaccurate, you’re the one who ends up looking like a jerk.
There will always be rude or incompetent people in any workplace, and chances are everyone knows who they are.
8. “That’s not in my job description.”
This often sarcastic phrase makes you sound as though you’re only willing to do the bare minimum required to get a paycheck, which is a bad thing if you want job security.
9. “It’s not my fault.”
It’s never a good idea to cast blame. Be accountable. If you had any role—no matter how small—in whatever went wrong, own it. If not, offer an objective, dispassionate explanation of what happened. Stick to the facts, and let your boss and colleagues draw their own conclusions about who’s to blame.
10. “I can’t.”
I can’t is it’s not my fault’s twisted sister. People don’t like to hear I can’t because they think it means I won’t. Saying I can’t suggests you’re not willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
11. “I hate this job.”
The last thing anyone wants to hear at work is someone complaining about how much they hate their job. It labels you as a negative person and brings down the morale of the group. Bosses are quick to catch on to naysayers who drag down morale, and they know there are enthusiastic replacements waiting around the corner.
Don't let these nasties sneak up on you. Keep your words clean and let the benefits roll in!
Read the whole article here, it's worth it!