You are the boss. You watch the amount of work your employees get done and the quality of their work. You pay attention to what they say to their fellow employees and you look for the bad apples that might rot your corporate bushel.
Well, guess what? Your employees are watching and listening to every word you say for clues about the kind of person you are and how you run the organization. Those clues impact their attitude and productivity.
So don’t mess up by saying things you might regret. Things like….
“I really shouldn’t be telling you this…”
You shouldn’t be. If someone has told you to keep something that is confidential, then you must keep it that way. If you betray such confidences, it signals to your staff that they probably can’t take you in their confidence either.
“Hey, I agree with you, but my boss is making me do it this way.”
Badmouthing your boss is a terrible idea. Once a decision is made, your job is to carry it out, whether you like it or not. If you don’t, you are giving your team permission to complain about your decisions in the same way.
“Did I make myself clear?”
Why do you need to take an accusatory tone? Try something like, “Let’s review the steps we’ve agreed upon.”
“Don’t bring me problems; bring me solutions.”
If a staff member shares an issue with you, it is likely because he or she is seeking your input. Don’t shut them down. Plus, a simple problem today can become tomorrow’s crisis.
In addition to those, there are some other things a manager should never say:
* Do what I say. I pay you.
* It’s your problem to solve.
* I don’t care what you think.
As funny as they may seem, those are the actual statements made by employers when US News surveyed American workers.
I bet you could add to the list. Just make sure that they never come out of your mouth.
Dave Edwards Media 