Who’s the most successful person you know? Think for a moment about their attitude, their approach to their work. There are commonalities among the very successful: determination, drive and responsibility are among them.
Likewise, there are certain mindsets you won’t find among successful business people. And because words have immense power, it’s important to make sure what you’re saying is consistent with such an outlook. What follows are seven phrases you’ll never hear the successful spout:
That’s not in my job description. This does nothing but indicate that you want to pass the buck. A better alternative is to schedule another time to address any concerns about your role and changing responsibilities with your direct supervisor.
It can’t be done. Management loves employees that bring solutions to the table. Be one of that kind, not the nay-saying kind. If there’s a specific challenge at hand, find a workaround. Don’t just give up.
It’s not my fault. When you’ve made an error, admit to it. Taking ownership of your mistakes rather than shifting the blame to someone else suggests you can’t take responsibility for your actions and that you won’t learn from your mistakes.
This will just take a minute. Two concerns here: first, this phrasing may serve to undervalue your skills. Secondly, you should Be sure you’re delivering what you’re promising. A fantastic business principle to operate by is “under-promise and over-deliver.”
I don’t need any help. Even top dogs know when to ask for help. Collaboration and partnership may not be nearly as exciting as going it alone, but they are essential at work.
It’s not fair. This statement should never have left the playground. You may remember your parents reply to this whining plea, “Life’s not fair.” In life and in business, perhaps the solution is simply to work harder.
This is the way it’s always been done. Since when is the status quo sufficient? Evolution is key to a company’s continued success in an ever-changing marketplace.
Published by Conselium Executive Search, the global leader in compliance search.
