7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss

7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss7 Things You Should Never Say to Your Boss7 Things You Should Never Say to Your BossYou may work in a relaxed environment, but that doesnt mean you should throw professional etiquette out the window. TWEET Even in the most casual of atmospherbeies, a careless remark to a colleague or superior could undermine your professional brand or halt your career advancement.Dont let an offhand comment make or break your career. Carefully choose your words before speaking with your manager. Below are seven phrases you should avoid using at all costs when speaking with your babo.I feel like Dont propose a solution because you feel like its a good idea. Instead, confidently propose your solution or share your thoughts and back it up with evidence and data. When you use feelings to justify your actions, youre sending the signal that you arent logical or that you lack critical-thinking skills.I dont know but Similar to the I feel like phrase, beginning a sen tence with I dont know before launching into a suggestion wont give your colleagues much confidence in what you say next. If youre not confident in your ideas, why should your boss feel any different?Ill leave or If you dont do this, Ill quitDont make idle threats unless youre seriously willing to walk away from a job. Still so, its in your best interest to avoid this type of language. It makes you look like a petulant child who will throw a tantrum if he doesnt get what he wants. Needless to say, this isnt the personal brand you want to project at the workplace.At my last job While you may have been hired because of your previous experience and knowledge, no one wants to have every aspect of their work compared to what you experienced at your last place of employment. When you do this, it calls your loyalty for your new employer into question. Can I speak to your boss about this?You may have the best idea in the world, but before you send an email to the head of your department, ta lk to your boss first. Its in your best interest to go through the proper channels of communication at your organization, rather than skipping over your immediate manager and directly reaching out to his or her boss.If youre having trouble with your boss, set up a meeting to confront him or her about the issue. If you cant make any headway toward a solution, then its time to speak to human resources.No or Thats impossibleEven if your boss is asking for something that seems impossible, avoid the urge to blurt out No in response to his or her request. Managers want to hear about solutions, not problems. When you immediately shut down, you send the signal that youre inflexible, unwilling to try, and lack problem-solving skills.Instead, explain to your boss what you will need in order to meet this new demand. Provide options instead of excuses. For instance, My team can complete the big project a week ahead of schedule if we put these other two side projects on hold and focus all our ef forts here or if we eliminate a few of the requirements from the project. Which option works better for you, based upon your priorities?You cant always give your boss everything he or she wants, but you can be creative and propose options.I need a raiseBosses hate this phrase, and with good reason. Just because you need a raise doesnt explain to your manager why you deserve it. Instead of griping about your increased commuting costs or your desire to move out of your familys home, discuss how youve provided value to the company and how your salary compares to the market rate. Enter this conversation with logical reasons for your desired raise or promotion dont try to appeal to his or her emotions.In the endBefore you blurt out something you might regret, take a moments pause and reconsider what youre trying to communicate to your boss, what you hope to achieve, and how you believe your boss will react. Keep this career advice in mind and youll have nothing to worry about.Need help w riting your resume? Our TopResume writers can help