Goonies never say die, Jon Bon Jovi never says goodbye and great bosses never say the following five things to their employees:
1. "You're lucky to work here." A statement like
this is dictatorial, threatening and clearly meant to incite fear, which
isn't good for anyone. "Fear-based management does not create the best
results -- that's all there is to it," says Katherine Crowley, co-author
of "Working for You Isn't Working for Me: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss." "If someone is afraid all the time of losing their job, they're not going to give you their best work."
2. "It is what it is." A statement like this implies
that there's no room for change or flexibility in an organization --
even when the organization is badly in need of it. Not only is it
frustrating for employees to hear this, but it can also hinder your
organization from moving forward. As demonstrated by the growing
popularity of "hack days,"
being open to new ideas and empowering your employees to explore new
business solutions not only increases morale, it's also good for
business.
3. "That's not my fault." Unless you're the pope,
you're not infallible, so if you make a mistake, own up to it. While you
may think admitting a mistake reveals a weakness, it's actually a sign
of strength, argues leadership expert Doug Guthrie in a recent article for Forbes.
"What is more powerful than an individual who can stand in front of his
or her employees and admit that the failure was his or hers?" Guthrie
writes. "What better way to gain the respect and admiration of your team
than to take the blame and responsibility on yourself rather than
calling out someone on your team? By admitting you are wrong, by taking
blame, you will have a group of more committed followers."
4. "That's none of your business." Whether you're
trying to protect your employees or yourself, more often than not,
keeping employees completely in the dark can do more harm than good.
Great leaders need to be candid with their employees, and as transparent
as possible. "If you fail to practice total candor, you will lose the
trust of your team, your leadership and your customers," says Jim Welch, author of "Grow Now: 8 Essential Steps to Flex Your Leadership Muscles."
5. "Did you get my email?" It's cool if you want to work 24/7, but you can't expect the same of your employees. Putting pressure on your employees to constantly be connected to the office can infringe on their work/life balance, ultimately stirring up feelings of resentment and leading to burnout.