It’s a good sign if you can be yourself at work, but there are some things you shouldn’t say because they ruin your reputation. What kind of things should you think about? We list five examples in this article.
For example, they ensure that you come across as insecure or not as a team player.
Things you should never say at work
It is better to omit these five statements in the future.
“That’s not my job”
One team, one task, right? So if your boss or a colleague asks you if you want to take up a certain (annoying) task, you do it. Especially when it comes to things in the office, such as cleaning up the kitchen. But even if it’s a work-related task, it’s not okay to make this statement.
What can you say? “Sure, I haven’t done that before, but I’ll do my best.” And if you don’t have time for it: “Of course I want to do that, but then I don’t have time for task X. Which one has priority?”
“Maybe it’s not a good idea…”
Statements like this should never be made at work, as they diminish your credibility and make people stop taking the idea as seriously as they would if you had just told them.
The words you use to show how much you value yourself and your message. Try to avoid these kinds of uncertain sentences.
“How can I…?”
Want to impress your boss? Make his or her life easier. That means: don’t constantly come up with questions that you could have easily found on Google or the intranet.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it (instead of struggling with the question for 45 minutes), but try to find out the answer yourself first.
“I deserve a raise because [insert personal reason]”
It is good that you stand up for yourself and ask for a raise, but you have to have a good reason for this. Not because the care for your dog turns out to be more expensive than you thought or because you would like to live larger.
Good reasons are, for example, that you have been given more responsibility or that you have become much faster in your work. Here are four other good reasons for a raise.
“Have you heard from colleague X?”
Negative comments about work, the company or your boss are not done and should never be said at work, just like gossiping about your colleagues. We probably don’t need to tell you why, but because it still happens so often, we do it anyway: it can kill your career if you are seen as “the gossiper.”
Think about it: who would you rather contact for a great opportunity: the positive, hard-working colleague or the one who constantly talks about them behind everyone’s back?
