The English phrases you should never say to your international boss

Sometimes at work it happens to use some apparently harmless phrases, but which risk transmitting laziness or worse lack of collaborative spirit. This is even more evident to those who work in international contexts and, interacting with foreign bosses or colleagues, may struggle to find the right words to express themselves correctly. Circumstances that, in the long run, can seriously undermine one’s own professional reputation and the advancement of careeras well as the relationship with your team.

That doesn’t mean you have to be overly servile, but it’s good to keep that in mind being proactive and flexible when interacting at work can make a difference. For this reason, Babbel, a language learning company, has created a guide for rephrasing phrases that could make you seem lazy in international business contexts, with the aim of suggesting a communication that conveys a positive attitude, spirit of collaboration and of initiative.

“Good communication in the workplace helps build mutual trust, understanding and respect. In such an environment, employees can communicate constructively. For example, meetings and brainstorming sessions become more fruitful because you feel free to express your opinions and share innovative ideas. As a result, there is also an increase in productivity, ”he says Nicola Carboni, Business Sales Manager of Babbel.

Here are the phrases not to say to an international boss

1. “It’s not my job” or “This was not in my job description”
When asked to perform tasks that are not relevant to your area of ​​expertise, you should never answer “it is not my job” or “it is not my job” if you do not want to be labeled as lazy. By suggesting the name of a more specialized colleague, a simple gesture is made, which however demonstrates a spirit of collaboration. To be even more available – and at the same time acquire new skills – you can also offer to learn, perhaps by asking to follow dedicated training.
Better to say:
• I believe X has a better expertise to accomplish this task. Should I check with them ?;
• I am afraid I don’t have enough knowledge on this field. However, I would be happy to learn it “- possibly adding -” Would training sponsored by the company be possible?

2. “I don´t get paid enough for this”
Also in this case, if you believe you do not have sufficient authority or expertise, you could indicate the name of another colleague with more adequate qualifications. Answering “they don’t pay me enough for this” could be very hasty and be perceived negatively by your boss. To formulate an alternative answer one could say:
• I believe this task is not suitable for my current position. Please let me suggest an alternative.

3. “I am just following orders”
Babbel experts advise not to answer “I’m just following orders” to heads or members of other departments who express a doubt or criticism about their own way of operating. On the contrary, they suggest explaining how the task in question and how to carry it out are in line with the objectives and KPIs of your team. Nevertheless, you have to be open to external feedback and talk about it internally. This could in fact lead to a review of the strategy and find a solution that is satisfactory for everyone. Some possible alternatives are:
• My work is in accordance with the department´s direction / KPI / strategy. However, I can certainly communicate your feedback / disagreement to the team so that we can work towards finding a solution that can accomodate your team’s needs too.
• I was not aware that this should not be exercised. I will surely bring your concern to my line manager.

4. “This problem is somebody else fault” or “This is not my fault”
If you make a mistake, you need to take responsibility and consider negative feedback as an opportunity to improve. If, on the other hand, one were actually completely unrelated to the matter, one should still respond in a more constructive way, for example:
• I was not involved in this task / project. However, I am sure the responsible person would appreciate your constructive feedback.
• Thank you for pointing it out. I will take this learning to the next project / campaign. For now, I suggest tackling this issue with the following action: xxx.

5. “I couldn’t care less”
Among the worst phrases to address to your boss there is also “I don’t care at all”, an expression that conveys total indifference and apathy towards the project you are working on and the related objectives. Managers themselves should lead by example, also showing interest in markets, projects and secondary tasks or for which they are not directly responsible. This shows respect for the work of others and allows managers to have an overview. Alternatively, it may be suggested to review priorities and focus on something else. In English:
• I am happy to assist you but I won’t be able to dedicate much time for this task / project due to other priorities.
• While these are important too, I would suggest focusing on other tasks / projects / markets, as they have higher priority at this point.