10 passive-aggressive work phrases and what they really mean

You know the feeling: After explaining how your team’s latest project is going in a detailed email that’s super easy to read, the one person who always nitpicks your work approaches you with painfully obvious questions, the answers to which have already been plainly spelled out. Cue the impolite responses — which luckily flood your mind, not your mouth.

Case in point: This user recently asked the Twitterverse about what they love to say when people test their patience on the job.

Here are just a few of the answers people gave to @DeeRene_’s question:

*Starts a slow clap*

I could go on, and on, and on — but you get the idea.

In the spirit of translating passive-aggressive messages like the ones captured by these expertly-crafted tweets, here’s a list of the sometimes-coded messages people might use at work along with a translation of what they might actually mean. (As in everything, remember that context is key.)

So, if you don’t have anything nice to say…

…you guessed it: don’t say it at all.

Being transparent by using clearer language might not only help you avoid misunderstandings, it may also help other people cut down on the time they spend trying to decipher your words.

Also, think about it— would you rather work with someone who never seems to say what they’re really thinking, leaving you to waste precious time decoding their messages during the work day? Or someone whose clarity never trips you up?

The bottom line is, use The Golden Rule by speaking others the way you’d like to be spoken to.

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