Watch your mouth at work
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday September 5, 2009
Honesty is valued in the office but sometimes you just need to shut up. Try Kath Lockett's tips. If you're wondering why your colleagues are avoiding you, it might be the things you say. Here are some of the top sentences to avoid in the office:Here's how we did it in my old job ...Cue the eye-rolling and bored sighs of your colleagues, who just want you to shut up and get on with it. Don't risk being seen as a tedious lecturer who is unwilling to learn new things or listen to others. Think of your old job like your scenic holiday photos €“ interesting to you but not to anyone else.Yes, I'll do that. And that and that ...You may think you're being a helpful team member but they might consider you a people pleaser who won't be able to complete the tasks on time, thereby letting everyone down. The author of Get Out of Your Own Way at Work, Dr Mark Goulston, writes that what starts off as being in control of allotted work can soon take over your real work and affect your performance.It's not my faultOffering excuses or rambling stories to escape the blame €“ or worse, blaming others €“ could result in being viewed as dishonest or a dobber. The author of Dish: Midlife Women Tell the Truth About Work, Relationships and the Rest of Life, Barbara Moses, cautions that: "People won't want to work with you." Admitting to a mistake is better.I'm too busy to take leaveNot true! Take a walk outside your building and stand in front of it, thinking of all the chaos, stress and intrigue happening inside it. Now look at the people passing by you on the footpath €“ would any of them care about the dramas inside your workplace or how important you think you are? Not likely. The chief executive of the Australian Institute of Management (Vic/Tas), Susan Heron, bluntly says: "No one is indispensable €“ even you.€Geez I'm crook €” atchoo!"If you're really sick, please stay home and keep it to yourself," advises microbiologist Dr Wah Chin Boon. "The last thing we need is for everyone else to catch it and be weeks behind in our work instead of just a few days for one person."I had to take a mental health dayFine, just be quiet about it, because it can be seen by your boss that you're not interested in your career progress, are lazy and aren't coping with the responsibilities of your role. You'll also risk losing the respect of your colleagues, who may assume you don't care about the team or the value of your contribution to it.Wanna hear some hot gossip about the boss?Any time you start a sentence with "this didn't come from me but ..." you're breaking the confidence of someone else and dispelling the recipient's view of you as someone to be trusted. If it's really a secret or something that could potentially damage someone else's career or reputation, keep it to yourself. If someone has told you a secret, the chances are they are also gossiping about you.That's not in my job descriptionUnless the task your manager is asking you to perform has absolutely nothing to do with the actual workplace, don't ever say this. You'll be seen as selfish, rigid and unwilling to help. Flexibility is one of the key qualities valued by managers and recruiters.I'm looking for another jobCareer blogger and author of The Brazen Careerist, Penelope Trunk, says the most desirable new employees are those who are already employed, but to avoid being first on the chopping block when redundancies are considered, keep your job hunting in the vault. "If you go on an interview, go at lunch, or take the day off," she says.Have careless words costyou at work? Tell us at mycareer.com.au/vote.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald