19 common phrases your employees are sick of hearing

Updated


If you hear any of these common remarks coming out of your mouth, you're probably a lousy manager.

The wondrous world of corporate conversation includes numerous biz-blabs, cliches, jargon and weasel words.

As annoying as those are, they aren't as destructive as these common management dodges and put-downs.

1. "Because I'm the boss, that's why."

Translation: "I either can't think of a good reason or don't want to bother to articulate whatever reason I have in mind. Either way, I don't consider you important enough to take the bother."

2. "Don't forget who is in charge."

Translation: "I'm deeply insecure about my leadership ability and secretly fear you're smarter and more talented than I am, so I'm going to point out the disparity of power in order to make myself feel better."

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3. "Don't worry about the big picture."

Translation: "I don't really have a vision for where we're headed but I'd rather you not realize that this is a classic case of the 'blind leading the blind'."

4. "Employees are our most valuable resource."

Translation: "I am about to cut benefits, reduce salaries, increase workload, or start layoffs but I'm hoping that empty reassurance will keep the talented employees from jumping ship."

5. "How do you see your future here?"

Translation: "Do what I say... or you won't have a future, at least working here."

6. "I was here until midnight last night. Where were you?"

Translation: "I don't have a life so you don't deserve one either."

7. "I'm calling a quick meeting."

Translation: "I'm a lousy planner so I'm dragging you into yet another pointless meeting to deal with things that should have been handled offline days ago."

8. "I'm here for you."

Translation: "Everything you say and do can and will be used against you in your next employee review."

9. "Just do what I tell you to do."

Translation: "I can't be bothered to explain the reasoning behind your job assignment so I'll treat you as if you're so brain-dead all you should do is follow orders."

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10. "Just figure it out."

Translation: "I can't be bothered to coach you or provide guidance that might make you successful so I'll just drop the whole thing in your lap and then blame you if you things go badly."

11. "Stop whatever you're doing and jump on this."

Translation: "I lack the ability to prioritize as well as the perspective to understand how sudden interruptions throw everything off and destroy productivity."

12. "That's a good idea, but..."

Translation: "Your idea is mediocre at best but I'm too insecure to tell you that outright, so I'm slathering a dollop of praise before I explain what I really want you to do instead."

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13. "This is really good for the company."

Translation: "I expect you to sacrifice your health and career in order to advance my personal and business agenda."

14. "This requires out-of-the-box thinking."

Translation: "I'm clueless about what to do next so I'm using this clich in a hopeless attempt to spark creative thinking."

15. "We can't afford to give you a raise."

Translation: "I think you're too dumb enough not to notice all the other times we've wasted money like it was going out of fashion."

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16. "We're one big happy family."

Translation: "Because I have no idea of how to manage people effectively, I intend to inflict the behaviors of my highly dysfunctional family onto everyone within hearing distance."

17. "We've always done it this way."

Translation: "I'd rather continue do something time consuming and ineffective than go through the mental effort of rethinking the situation."

18. "You need to work smarter, not harder."

Translation: "I've asked you to do more than is humanly possible but rather than take responsibility for my unreasonable expectations, I'll subtly imply that the real problem is that you're stupid."

19. "You're lucky even to have a job."

Translation: "I'm incapable or unwilling to provide you with positive motivation, so I'll try to frighten you with joblessness in the hopes you'll fail to notice that you're actually more valuable to the company than I am."

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