The two worst things to say at work

(that you wouldn’t expect to cause problems)

​A reporter recently contacted me for a quote about things never to say at work. She expected me to say something like, “You look sexy in that suit” or “The boss’ husband is a beefcake,” but I offered two less obvious examples:

I understand
​I know how you feel

But Jason, you’re thinking, we use these all the time. They are indelibly etched into our speech habits. What harm can they cause, and how could we ever hope to remove them from our vocabulary? You’re right. These are common expressions most everyone uses without a second thought—which means you are immune from judgment for past utterances. Going forward, however, if you say either of these, you will do so with full knowledge of their negative impact.

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