The 7 Things Successful People
Never Say
You
want to be successful. Everyone does. But your actual words might be
undermining your chances of success. The things you say in the
office, no matter how innocuous they seem to you, might be knocking
you down the career ladder and putting the top position you dream
about out of reach.
Your
career is too important to be tanked by a few negative phrases. Here
are the seven things you should strike from your workplace vocabulary
if you want to achieve the success you richly deserve:
1.
“That’s not in my job description.”
When
you accepted your current position, you had a good idea of what the
responsibilities and workload of the role would entail. Throughout
the months or years since you settled into your job, however, your
role has expanded and changed shape. Some of these changes have
probably been good, while others have made you wish for simpler
times. When a boss or manager piles another responsibility on your
already sore shoulders, it might be tempting to pull out this classic
gem of work avoidance.
The
better option, however, is to schedule a time to talk to your boss
about your role. A specific conversation about your place in the
organization is a good time to bring up the particulars of your job
description, not when you’re asked to get something accomplished.
No matter how stressed you are or how valid the complaint, dropping
this phrase only makes you look lazy and unmotivated.
2.
“It can’t be done.”
Throwing
in the towel makes you look like a quitter -- and quitters don’t
get promoted. Instead of giving up on a project entirely, frame your
response in terms of alternative ways to get the work accomplished.
Very little is truly impossible, and most managers and executives
want forward-thinking problem solvers to climb the corporate ladder.
If you offer solutions instead of giving up, you’ll be seen as a
valuable member of the team.
3.
“It’s not my fault.”
No
one wants to work with a blame shifter. After all, it’s just a
matter of time before this person eventually shifts the blame onto
you. Take ownership of your mistakes instead of pointing out where
others have fallen short. Admitting to a mistake shows character and
the ability to learn and grow from problems. Pointing the finger at
someone else strongly implies you’ll never truly learn from your
errors.
4.
“This will just take a minute.”
Unless
something will literally take only 60 seconds, don’t overpromise
and underdeliver. Saying something will only take “a minute” also
has the side effect of undermining your efforts. Most likely the
reason the particular task won’t take long is due to the benefit of
your professional experience and acumen. By saying it will “just”
take a minute, you're shortchanging what you bring to the table.
5.
“I don’t need any help.”
The
rugged lone wolf type might be the hero of most action movies, but
they’re unlikely to become the hero at your company. You might
think you can go it alone on a project or in your career, but
teamwork is essential. Being able to work with others is the hallmark
of a good leader; you’re unlikely to climb your career ladder
always flying solo.
6.
“It’s not fair.”
Life
isn’t fair, and often your career won’t be as well. Instead of
complaining, you should look for specific and actionable workarounds
to the problems you encounter. Is it unfair a coworker got to run
point on the project you wanted? Maybe, but instead of complaining,
work harder and go the extra mile. Finding a solution will always be
preferable in your professional life to whining about a problem.
7.
“This is the way it’s always been done.”
Doing
things the way they’ve always been done is no way to run a
business. Just ask some of the companies which toed the line,
accepted the status quo, and went under. Adapting to an ever-changing
marketplace is really the only way to survive in an economy
constantly being disrupted by the next big thing.
You
don’t have to be a slave to the trends, but you also can’t stick
your head in the sand and hope things go back to normal. Instead,
come up with creative solutions to new problems and innovate, and
you’ll soon be in the driver’s seat taking your organization into
the future.
Everyone
wants to be successful, so make sure your words aren’t holding you
back. These seven phrases are career kryptonite -- by avoiding them,
you can fly into your future and become a successful superstar.
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