Phrases to Avoid at Work

  • 1 min read

The choice of words is very important when you are expressing yourself. Especially at work, you need a maintain a positive and can-do attitude. Therefore, you need to be careful when you are conveying your message to your coworkers. Below you can find the phrases to avoid at work in order to prevent the negativity in your communications.

  • “That is not my job.” Instead of saying this phrase, try to soften your tone and remind your coworker your real responsibilities and then, tell him/her “If I can find time after finishing my tasks, I would be happy to help.” In this way, you show your coworker that you give importance to him/her and making empathy.
  • “I don’t know.” Well, you may not always have the answers but instead, you can show that you are interested in finding out. You can ask someone who knows or simply go to internet and google it. Show your coworkers that you are chasing for the answers.
  • “I will try.” This is a very vague statement. When your coworker hears this sentence from you, s/he cannot understand whether the job will be done. Plus, you are giving the impression that you won’t do your best. You may not always achieve the results but at least be more clear. Say that “I will do it” and then, if you cannot, you can ask for help.
  • “I don’t like to work with him/her.” No one expects you to like all of your coworkers but you should behave professionally and be able to meet with them in the middle. You may have different characters and work styles but try to find a way to work together because this is what makes a team. Try to take advantage of your differences and do a great job as a team.
  • “That is impossible, I cannot do this.”  Nothing is impossible, everything is possible if you look through the right angle. Are you sure you have considered all the options? Don’t be the negative and pessimistic one in the workplace. Develop a can-do attitude. Instead try this phrase, “What I can do on this issue is….”
  • “I am too busy for this right now.” Everybody is busy and trying to finish their tasks and that is why they want to talk to you so that they can move forward with their own tasks. When you use this phrase, the other person feels less important and excluded. Instead, say “I am working on x right now, can we talk about this around 3pm?” This way, you show that you value your coworker and give him/her a meeting time.
Picture of Ceren Cubukcu

Ceren Cubukcu

Ceren Cubukcu is a top 5 bestselling author of Make Your American Dream A Reality: How to Find a Job as an International Student in the United States. She recently founded her consulting business to help more international students find jobs in the US in addition to her self-service digital event ticketing platform, Etkinlik Fabrikam (My Event Factory), to offer her webinars. 

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