We have all, at some time or another, worked for a boss who loved to use clichés. Some are just irritating, whilst others simply serve to shut down discussions and people stop listening.
So here’s a few of my pet hates:
“We need to work smarter, not harder.”
This one implies that you’re stupid and your manager clearly doesn’t really mean the “we” part.
If you know how I can be more efficient, tell me. If you know there is a better way, show me how.
“There is no ‘I’ in team.”
Oh yes there is, a team contains as many I’s as there are team members. Every individual should be encouraged to achieve their own goals as well as the team’s.
“It just wasn’t meant to be.”
In reality, fate has very little to do with failure. If something’s gone wrong, figure out what went wrong and learn from it.
“This is probably not what you want to hear.”
No-one enjoys hearing bad news, but when you preface a comment by saying it won’t be what I want to hear, you shift the issue onto me and make it my problem, which is not good management.
“Perception is reality.”
How someone views something is their own individual version of reality, no matter how wrong the perception may be. Reality lasts forever; perceptions are fleeting and constantly changing.
“Failure is not an option.”
This one is often used by a manager who gets frustrated and wants to shut down questions about a debatable decision or a very difficult goal. Failure is always a possibility, just because you say you won’t tolerate it, doesn’t mean it won’t happen.
So don’t reach for a platitude, justify your decisions and face the hard questions.
“Let’s not reinvent the wheel.”
This is quite simply lazy management; the new wheel might just turn out to be a better one.
“It is what it is.”
This is a similar cliché to the last one and is used to stifle discussion. It is also another example of lazy management.
“It is what it is” is only true if you take the easy way out by letting “it” remain “it.”
“I want your feedback.”
It’s not just management; you see and hear a similar line everywhere in surveys, on websites and at meetings. Don’t be passive if you truly want feedback; tell your staff exactly what you want.
“We’re all in this together”
This one is most commonly used when a business is having problems, but very rarely is the pain shared equally. And the staff knows this.
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David Jones is the Senior Partner and Founder of Morgan Jones & Company. Born in Liverpool and an Accountancy graduate of the University of Wolverhampton, David spent twenty years working for the Customs & Excise in London then Shrewsbury before starting his own business. David's depth of knowledge of the UK tax system and his ability to communicate this learning has seen Morgan Jones & Company grow into Shropshire's most respected Accountancy Practice.