A boss can make or break an office environment. Having a toxic or unqualified manager creates unnecessary work, undue stress, and an overall uncomfortable atmosphere — so much so that 82% of American workers say that they would potentially quit a job because of a bad manager.
Sometimes, however, these incompetent bosses are difficult to spot. They hide behind better workers, never taking the blame for missteps or acknowledging their inadequacies. Yet, according to @corporatedropout_mom on TikTokthese managers tend to use a few distinct phrases, making them possible to detect.
Here are six phrases incompetent bosses who have a hard time leading a team use frequently:
1. Be resourceful
Whenever you ask for help, you are simply told to be resourceful. If you ask for recommended resources, you never get a clear or helpful answer.
“‘Be more resourceful'” (is) code for your manager doesn’t know how to help,” @corporatedropout_mom explained.
Your manager’s job is to manage you, so if you need any help they’re actually supposed to provide some. Yet many managers have not learned this crucial lesson.
2. It is what it is
Ah yes, the two seconds your manager decides to become a waxing philosopher are when you bring up a problem in the workplace. How convenient.
This repetitive response gets nothing solved and allows these incompetent managers to not feel an ounce of tension.
3. Did you prioritize?
After assigning you so many “urgent” tasks that you can’t think straight, you are told to prioritize.
Prioritize what exactly? How can any prioritizing be done if every task assigned is allegedly urgent (hint: they’re not)?
4. Stay in your lane
When reaching out with concerns, or even potential improvements, you’re told to “stay in your lane” — otherwise known as “know your place” or “mind your business.” This phrase makes it clear that your manager does not value your voice or opinion.
“It breaks their spirit; and it leaves the company with either an underproductive, unmotivated worker-bee or an empty seat,” Steve Stauning wrote of the phrase in the book “The 30,000-Pound Gorilla in the Room: The 212 Most Annoying Business Phrases Managers Effuse, Confuse and Overuse.”
5. You need to complete task trackers
fizkes | Shutterstock
“Team has way too much work… time to prioritize and do task trackers,” the content creator joked.
When you’re already feeling overworked and underappreciated, task trackers are the likely last thing you want to do. While they are intended to improve productivity, foster collaboration, and help employees stick to deadlines, they just add yet another thing to your already full plate.
6. Be resilient
Resilience is a trait we should all aspire to have. However, in this case, “Be resilient means things are never going to change,” @corporatedropout_mom claimed.
Managers who throw this phrase at you are trying to get you to work harder so they can work less. If you’re off being resilient with whatever issue has been thrown at you, there’s nothing left for them to do. They don’t have to fix any problems if you’re willing to persevere.
Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.
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