20 phrases that will make you feel bad at work

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Some words and expressions only seem harmless to us. It's time to throw them out of the lexicon.

At first glance, some common phrases, cliches and excuses seem insignificant and harmless. But they do not advance negotiations or help others understand you better. On the other hand, they can spoil the impression of you, discourage the interlocutors from continuing a serious dialogue, or even offend one of the listeners.

Here are examples of similar words and phrases that are spoken at meetings or meetings and can sometimes be perceived with negative connotations.

1. "I'm just saying that …"

It doesn't matter how long a person has spoken before or how thoughtful and meaningful his speech was. One short phrase can underestimate its value and turn it into “just words” that you can ignore.

2. "I have the right to my own opinion"

This statement can be understood in such a way that a person is not able to defend his point of view, and he is not ready to make concessions either. Therefore, it is not the opinion itself that defends, but the right to have it. As a result, the listeners involuntarily tense up, because for them it is a signal that the conversation will not lead to anything, if not, it should stop altogether.

3. "I had no choice."

Most often it is. Even when a person utters these words, he makes another choice: try to shield himself with one phrase or say something more worthy. You need to be ready to defend your decision. Do not excuse yourself with a remark about the lack of choice and expect that the listeners will simply take it for granted.

4. "Well, that's my five cents."

Such a phrase devalues any effort, which is likely to cost more. These words can give the interlocutors the impression that it makes no sense to listen to the person who speaks them.

5. "I don't care"

After such a statement, the conversation is unlikely to continue. Nobody likes it when others don't want to listen to his thoughts. So do not rush with such words.

6. "Personally, I …"

Many people think that the word "personal" clearly demonstrates that they are talking about their own feelings and opinions. But this is already obvious when a person uses the pronoun "I".

7. "How would …"

We insert this expression while we are looking for the right word or formulating a thought. And although it is slightly better than "e-e-e", it still creates an unpleasant impression. It is preferable to think over your remark in silence and start speaking when there is a clear understanding of what exactly and how to say.

8. "I hope …"

The interlocutors may find that in this way the person refuses to control the process and relieves himself of obligations. This word may mean that he seems to be promising to do something, but provides himself with a loophole just in case. And it calls into question the ability to fulfill obligations.

9. "I am not guilty"

When a person says this, colleagues may get the impression that they just want to shift the responsibility onto someone else. Therefore, it is better to explain the circumstances in detail so that the listeners understand what is the cause of the situation. Well, if the speaker is still guilty, he should admit it and offer a way out.

10. "My joint"

Admitting guilt using slang may sound inappropriate in a work setting. If it is customary among colleagues to communicate more formally, these words will hint at sarcasm rather than being serious about a mistake.

11. "I can't"

More often than not, people disguise this phrase with another: "I will not." Even if you don't mean anything like that, those around you will hear just that. So it is better to use a different wording or explain the reasons that prevent you from fulfilling the required.

12. "It's not fair"

With these words in the heads of the interlocutors, an image of a capricious child may appear, who kicks his legs. Nobody promised that life is an honest thing.

Instead of saying this banal phrase, it is better to explain what exactly seems unfair if it is not obvious to others. For example, too many tasks have piled up and it has become difficult to keep up with everything. Or actions are required that do not have the necessary skills.

13. "This is what we do here."

Translated, this phrase means Farewell to Innovation and Creative Ideas. She says that a person is closed to proposals and new approaches. After it, colleagues will not really want to speak out.

14. "Any ideas?"

Naturally, there are times when you really need to get ideas. But in a certain context, this phrase can turn into passive-aggressive. Moreover, regardless of whether it is pronounced by a leader or a subordinate.

If a task is set, specific instructions should be given. Otherwise, the question can be interpreted as follows: “We need to do this. Think of how."

And if a person receives instructions and answers: "Do you have ideas?" - he seems to be trying to absolve himself of responsibility for the execution of the case. Better in such a situation to ask more specific, clarifying questions.

15. "With all due respect"

This is a “relative” of another phrase, which should also be forgotten: “I don’t want to offend you, but …” Such an introduction does not make the words less disrespectful. Their equivalent is "I don't care about you, and I will express my opinion anyway."

16. "This is nonsense"

After such a statement, the constructive dialogue will obviously not continue. After all, this phrase essentially means that the interlocutor is talking nonsense. It would be better to think about what exactly seems meaningless and formulate the reply as a question to clarify the matter.

17. "Let's not reinvent the wheel"

Almost any improvement is the result of “reinventing” something old. Sometimes the attempts fail, but sometimes they are incredibly successful. But such a phrase in advance stigmatizes all ideas as bad and blocks the road to innovation.

18. "I heard you"

This is not a show of respect at all. You can listen to a person, but not delve into his words. This wording most often means that the meeting participant just waited for his turn to speak.

19. "But …"

You need to be careful with this alliance. When the discussion is over and suddenly someone throws such a "but" - what is said after that can nullify all the previous statements. People usually cling to this word, attach less importance to what they heard before, and remember best what was said at the end.

20. "Honestly"

It sounds like the previous words were a lie. If all that has been said is true, there is no point in using such a phrase. Hearing her, willy-nilly, you doubt the sincerity of the interlocutor.