Things to avoid – getting on at work

There are behaviours to avoid at work. Getting ahead at work depends upon the relationships you build. Saying the right things help you gain support for your plans and activities.

On the flip, saying the wrong things, those words that can bring harm to relationships, can hinder your team’s ability to work together. They also build resistance to ideas coming from you.

There are some common phrases that do more harm than good at work.

1: “We have tried that before”

When said because you or a colleague had an idea that did not achieve the expected results. Someone coming up with a similar idea will likely feel dismissed and demotivated.

What you have broadcast is “I know everything and you don’t” or “I don’t want to put any effort in”.

Possibly what’s on the table has been tried, but a different approach is being recommended.

Create an understanding of the context of your position and why you anticipate similar results.

“I hear what you are saying. We had a similar idea but unfortunately did not achieve the expected results” is a better alternative.

2: “I told you so”

You verbally disagree with a colleague’s approach to an idea. Things don’t work out as planned when the colleague goes ahead anyway.

What you are broadcasting is “I was actively against you”

Providing quiet support while moving on to the next project as a united team is the best alternative.

Quietly supporting your colleague through an uncomfortable time helps build a relationship to work more collaboratively in the future.

3 “That’s not my job”

When someone asks for help on a task outside your core job scope and you can’t immediately prioritize the effort, your automatic response may be to say “That’s not my job”. Avoid automatic responses.

What you broadcast by this is “I am out for myself only”. Much better to say “Unfortunately, I can not prioritize this right now”

It’s essential to set boundaries to ensure we deliver the best work on key priorities.

However, “It’s not my job” may well hinder the progress we are looking for. The image I had of a colleague who tried this when his Manager had directed me to help was not the best.

4 “There’s no budget for that”

When you say this to someone with an idea they are passionate about because you have no scope for the resources required for the idea, you broadcast “Keep your head down and do what is expected”

Cater for great ideas while it’s essential to make the case for big-budget ideas.

Propose a test on a smaller scale or schedule a later time where you can make a funding case. This will encourage your colleague to explore a great idea that may not be backed by current resources.

5 “That’s against procedures”

When someone comes up with an idea that upsets typical processes within your organization, saying this broadcasts “There’s only one way to do things here”.

It’s worth examining any procedure that blocks innovation to see how it helps the organization as many rules are subject to change.

When we keep to the way things have always been done, we often hinder innovation. Avoid being hung up on how you have always done things.

Help the person suggesting changes understand why the procedure is in place.

“We’re encouraged to do things this way, let me tell you why” gets better outcomes.

Where you all agree change is necessary, jointly explore how.

An executive once destroyed more than a decade’s work in team building by being hung up on procedure and letting it affect his perception of people that brought forward proposals along these lines.

In all relationships, effective communication is essential for progress. When we are considerate, we get more mileage.

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