I found an interesting blog via LinkedIn (from monster.com) entitled ” Nine Things Never to Say to Your Boss“. When I looked at the list, most of them struck me as things you shouldn’t say to ANYONE if you want to be successful in a professional environment. Item#s 1, 4 and 9 are specifically ‘boss related’, but let’s look at the other six:
2. “That just isn’t possible.”
What a helpful comment! Let’s all stand around and admire the problem. Look! It’s SO BIG! It’s SO INSURMOUNTABLE!! Come on, people, there is always something that can be done. Don’t you just love working with people who have a problem for every solution?
3. “I can’t stand working with ____.”
I can’t state this any better than the referenced blog did: “Complaining about a coworker’s personality usually reflects more poorly on you than on the coworker.”
5. “But I emailed you about that last week.”
Email is easy, email is effortless. Email is not, however, two-way communication. Often, it’s not even good one-way communication! Walk down the hall and talk to the person. If you’re not co-located, pick up the phone. THEN send an email documenting what you talked about. Don’t rely on one or the other. Do both….
6. “It’s not my fault.”
Not my fault, not my problem. Doesn’t cut it. Getting the job done is the key to professional success, not skillfully avoiding blame.
7. “I don’t know.”
“If your boss asks you a question you can’t answer, the correct response is not “I don’t know.” It’s “I’ll find out right away.” Couldn’t agree more, but this it not just your boss. Do you think being viewed as the ‘go to guy(gal)’ is a good thing? It sure is. Being the ‘go to guy’ doesn’t mean that you have an answer for everything, it means you are willing to find an answer. Those are the people that excel in a professional environment. What kind of value do you add by saying ‘I don’t know”?
8. “But we’ve always done it this way.”
Yep, and if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. Innovation not replication!
Do I feel that these are important rules to live by, absolutely! Have I broken one or more of these along the way? You betcha.
– RTR
Real Time Rick 
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