Choose Your Words Wisely At Work

To make sure you stand a good chance of keeping your job for a long time, never, ever say these phrases to your boss!

1. “I don’t need anyone to teach me.”
Be careful here: it’s one thing to already know how to perform a job; it’s another thing to think you already know all there is to learn.

2. “Could you repeat that?”
Continually asking your manager to repeat him/herself indicates that you don’t care about or respect what he or she has to say.

3. “That’s not in my job description”
Unless the task your manager is asking you to perform has nothing to so with the actual workplace, you should keep this thought to yourself. Everyone needs to do his or her part to pitch in, which sometimes means performing work that may be a departure from your daily duties.

4. “Don’t blame me – it’s not my fault.”
One thing that’s sure to tick off your boss is trying to cover up a mistake by blaming someone else. This behaviour proves to your boss that you’re not only unreliable, but deceptive as well.

5. “Can you tell so-and-so to shut off that annoying music?”
It’s not up to your boss to solve your personal problems. If you can’t resolve a problem with a co-worker on your own, you can ask your boss for advice, but don’t expect him or her to respond to complaining.

6. “Yeah, right. I have a family. I’m going home.”
True, the work day for most officially ends at five o’clock, but a little over-time work once in a while is standard in many offices.

7. “Get yourself a slave.”
Even if you’re leaving a company, be careful where you burn your bridges, as a former boss can be a good professional reference for future positions.