It doesn’t matter if you and your boss are friends or share a good laugh every now and then—you should never feel too familiar with them. Why? Because it can ruin your chances of climbing up the corporate ladder. So, if you’re tempted to say these 15 things to your boss, bite your tongue. Yes, even if you think they’re no big deal.
1. “That’s impossible.”
When your boss gives you a new project, you might feel like it’s a bad idea. Instead of saying, “That’s impossible!” you should try to air your specific concerns while trying to find a way to make it happen. If you don’t, you’re going to come across as negative.
2. “I didn’t want to worry you…”
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Although you want to be seen as self-sufficient, it’s not a good idea to hide things from your boss. If there were valid concerns related to a specific task, you should’ve aired them or at least informed your boss about them. No one wants to be kept in the dark.
3. “It’s not part of my job requirement.”
There might be things that you have to do which don’t fall neatly into your job requirements. That’s life. But that doesn’t mean you should quickly brush them off or declare that you’re not doing them. All this tells your boss is that you’re not willing to grow and learn, which is a red flag.
4. “I’m not being paid enough to do that.”
If you feel like you’re working way too much for what you’re being paid, that might be a valid concern worth chatting to your boss about. But, don’t tell your boss that you should be getting paid more to do small additional tasks, as that comes across as unprofessional and petty. Your boss wants you to focus on the company’s success, not just your financial success.
5. “I’ll try.”
Although you have good intentions when promising your boss that you’ll “try” to do a good job, it leaves a seed of doubt in their mind. You want to reassure them that you’re on board and ready to give the task your all while meeting deadlines (and that you won’t bail on them).
6. “I promise to [insert task]…”
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at work, you might overcommit yourself to tasks by making promises to your boss, like, “I promise I’ll deliver the work tomorrow.” While it might appease them, it can backfire. If you actually can’t deliver the task on time but promise anyway, it can make you look super unreliable. If you have problems with the task, it’s better to chat about it with your boss instead of setting unrealistic goals.
7. “At my last job…”
Don’t speak about your previous job and how it was better than your current one. It seems malicious and can make your boss think that you’re not happy, which means you won’t be giving the job your all. Ugh. Don’t be the workplace equivalent of someone who compares their partners to their exes.
8. “You should’ve given me that project.”
You know your positive traits, and that’s awesome. But, telling your boss that they should’ve put you in charge of a project instead of someone else in your office is negative and bitter. You want to be seen as a team player.
9. “I don’t like working for others.”
Maybe you had a few drinks at an office party and told your boss you actually don’t like working for other people and would love to do your own thing. Um, what? Be careful—you might just get what you want and find yourself unemployed!
10. “I need a raise.”
There’s nothing wrong with chatting to your boss about a salary increase, but there are better ways to go about it than by saying, “I need a raise.” You could, for example, research the salary people in your position in other companies are getting and mention how your productivity and problem-solving have helped the company succeed.
11. “I turned down a job offer.”
You might tell your boss that you turned down a competitive job offer in the hopes they feel threatened and increase your salary or give you the best projects. Be careful, as this can backfire—it makes it seem like you already have one foot out the door. Why would any boss want to meet you halfway if your heart’s not in the work?
12. “I’m not good at that.”
While it’s good to know your skills and areas where you can improve, bosses want you to be positive and face challenges head-on. If you turn down opportunities because you don’t think you have what it takes, it makes it difficult for your boss to back you.
13. “I have other things on my plate right now.”
Yes, you’re busy and it might be difficult to take on more work. That’s totally normal. What’s not cool is telling your boss that you have other, bigger priorities than what they need from you. It’s better to open up about how you’re feeling overwhelmed and suggest helping in smaller ways.
14. “If I were you…”
You should never give your boss unsolicited advice for a problem or concern. It’s arrogant and rude! Skip the “If I were you…” phrase and ask if you could make some suggestions. They’ll appreciate your polite, respectful approach.
15. “Did you hear about…”
Gossip is the last thing you want to bring to your boss’s desk, even if you’re friends. You don’t want the reputation of spreading toxic negativity around the office. Although you think it keeps you in the loop, it only makes you look bad!
