Program Success December 2014 | Page 9

The 7 Things Successful People Never Say

You want to be successful . Everyone does . But your actual words might be undermining your chances of success . The things you say in the office , no matter how innocuous they seem to you , might be knocking you down the career ladder and putting the top position you dream about out of reach .
Your career is too important to be tanked by a few negative phrases . Here are the seven things you should strike from your workplace vocabulary if you want to achieve the success you richly deserve :
1 . “ That ’ s not in my job description .”
When you accepted your current position , you had a good idea of what the responsibilities and workload of the role would entail . Throughout the months or years since you settled into your job , however , your role has expanded and changed shape . Some of these changes have probably been good , while others have made you wish for simpler times . When a boss or manager piles another responsibility on your already sore shoulders , it might be tempting to pull out this classic gem of work avoidance . The better option , however , is to schedule a time to talk to your boss about your role . A specific conversation about your place in the organization is a good time to bring up the particulars of your job description , not when you ’ re asked to get something accomplished . No matter how stressed you are or how valid the complaint , dropping this phrase only makes you look lazy and unmotivated .
2 . “ It can ’ t be done .”
Throwing in the towel makes you look like a quitter -- and quitters don ’ t get promoted . Instead of giving up on a project entirely , frame your response in terms of alternative ways to get the work accomplished . Very little is truly impossible , and most managers and executives want forward-thinking problem solvers to climb the corporate ladder . If you offer solutions instead of giving up , you ’ ll be seen as a valuable member of the team .
3 . “ It ’ s not my fault .”
No one wants to work with a blame shifter . After all , it ’ s just a matter of time before this person eventually shifts the blame onto you . Take ownership of your mistakes instead of pointing out where others have fallen short . Admitting to a mistake shows character and the ability to learn and grow from problems . Pointing the finger at someone else strongly implies you ’ ll never truly learn from your errors .
4 . “ This will just take a minute .”
Unless something will literally take only 60 seconds , don ’ t overpromise and underdeliver . Saying something will only take “ a minute ” also has the side effect of undermining your efforts . Most likely the reason the particular task won ’ t take long is due to the benefit of your professional experience and acumen . By saying it will “ just ” take a minute , you ’ re shortchanging what you bring to the table .
5 . “ I don ’ t need any help .”
7 things Successful People Never Say Ilya Pozin Jacksonville , Florida December 2014
D I ' '
The rugged lone wolf type might be the hero of most action movies , but they ’ re unlikely to become the hero at your company . You might think you can go it alone on a project or in your career , but teamwork is essential . Being able to work with others is the hallmark of a good leader ; you ’ re unlikely to climb your career ladder always flying solo .
6 . “ It ’ s not fair .”
Life isn ’ t fair , and often your career won ’ t be as well . Instead of complaining , you should look for specific and actionable workarounds to the problems you encounter . Is it unfair a coworker got to run point on the project you wanted ? Maybe , but instead of complaining , work harder and go the extra mile . Finding a solution will always be preferable in your professional life to whining about a problem .
7 . “ This is the way it ’ s always been done .”
Doing things the way they ’ ve always been done is no way to run a business . Just ask some of the companies which toed the line , accepted the status quo , and went under . Adapting to an ever-changing marketplace is really the only way to survive in an economy constantly being disrupted by the next big thing .
You don ’ t have to be a slave to the trends , but you also can ’ t stick your head in the sand and hope things go back to normal . Instead , come up with creative solutions to new problems and innovate , and you ’ ll soon be in the driver ’ s seat taking your organization into the future . Everyone wants to be successful , so make sure your words aren ’ t holding you back . These seven phrases are career kryptonite -- by avoiding them , you can fly into your future and become a successful superstar .
About Ilya Pozin :
Founder of Open Me and Ciplex . Columnist for Inc , Forbes & LinkedIn . Gadget lover , investor , mentor , husband , father , and ‘ 30 Under 30 ’ entrepreneur . Follow Ilya below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates !