10 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss
Posted in Bosses & Coworkers
Unless your goal is to get fired, there are some things you just can't say to your boss no matter what. You will never know what your words can make you look like to your superior. He/She may think you are lazy, disrespectful or careless. Thus, ruining your chances of getting a promotion.
Here are something's that employers say they hate to hear from their employees:
"I really need to talk to you, it's important." Your boss does not have the time to attend to every little thing in your work place. If what you need to tell him/her is really important, tell your boss what it is regarding first.
"I don't need anyone to teach me." While it is admirable in an employee to be knowledgeable in a lot of things, it is annoying to think that you know all there is to know.
"I don't understand." On the other side of the coin, while it is perfectly normal to not know everything at the beginning (and it is because of this that training is a standard in almost all companies), constantly and continually needing to be instructed on how to do a task is not acceptable.
"Could you repeat that?" This is okay if it only happens once or twice. But if you ask your boss to repeat him/herself continually, then you will come across as inattentive and does not care about or does not respect what he/she has to say.
"I just never got around to it." This time, it's not much about what you said but more of what you did - or did not do. Do not over commit if you know you will not be able to follow through - you will come across (or actually be known for being) unreliable. It will reflect badly on you - especially during evaluation time.
"That's not in my job description." Today's work place is more dynamic and fast-paced than ever before. Thus, if your boss asks you to do a task that is not usually part of your daily duties, do not say that it is not your job to do that. As long as it has something to do with your workplace, you should pitch-in and do your part.
"Don't blame me -- it's not my fault." Trying to maneuver the blame away from you and pointing at other people not only makes you appear unreliable and irresponsible but also shoddy and deceptive.
"Can you tell so-and-so to shut off that annoying music?" Petty problems such as this one are no longer your boss' concern. You should be able to work things as small as this out with your co-worker. You can ask your boss for advise if you cannot solve some issues with your co-worker, but do not expect him/her to fix everything for you.
"Yeah, right. I have a family. I'm going home." Yes you have a family. But some people have families too and they still put in over-time at work. A little over-time once in a while is common - even a standard - most companies. Before you speak up and complain, know first your company's over-time policy.
"Get yourself a slave." Even if it's your last day at work, never ever say this to a supervisor. You never know what (former) boss will say to your next employer once they ask him/her about you. Bosses can be good professional references so don't leave your former job in a huff.
The key here is, if you have complaints, from your workload right down to your squeaky chair, it is up to you take the first step towards change. Just remember that there is a better way to voice out your concerns and work things out other than complaining.
