In professional life, the language we use shapes team dynamics more than we realize. Whether in a work setting, a community project, or a business partnership, certain phrases, though seemingly innocuous, can silently erode collaboration, trust, and innovation. These verbal roadblocks create invisible barriers between would-be colleagues and collaborators, ultimately undermining the collective intelligence that helps relationships and initiatives to thrive. Recognizing and eliminating these counterproductive expressions is the first step toward fostering a truly collaborative culture.
Recently, I sat in on a workshop with one of the great professors in my life, Max Muller, my dad! Through his company, Max Muller & Associates, he trains professionals on a number of topics to accelerate their success. At that session, he shared ten “phrases to lose” because they stifle people’s ability to work together. He also provided useful explanations about why they can be so damaging. Take a look:
- “We’ve tried that before.” Just because something didn’t work in the past doesn’t mean it won’t work now … especially if you try a different spin, or just do it better. You shouldn’t ignore past experiences, but you don’t want to be hampered by them either.
- “That’ll never work.” Unless you’re so sure that you’d bet your life on it, lose this one. If you expect something to fail from the start, you’ll unconsciously act in ways that make failure more likely to occur.
- “They’ll never let us do that.” See “That’ll never work” above. Same trap, same response.
- “Yes, but …” In most cases, you might as well just say “No!” Once you forget this word combo, you’ll be more open to using an inspiring “Yes, and …,” which helps maintain a positive focus.
- “I already know how it will turn out.” The fact is, you only THINK you know … and you’ve got as much chance of being wrong as you do of being right.
- “That’s not how I would do it.” As long as the results are there, everyone needs a little freedom to do things their way. Not only might it work, but “their way” just might end up being a better way. Imagine that!
- “We’ve always done it that way.” Granted, “what you’ve always done” may be good, but maintaining the status quo offers little opportunity for improvement or innovation.
- “Nobody else does it that way.” Every invention and innovation that’s ever been developed was, at one time, a deviation from the way everybody else did it.
- “We already have more than enough good ideas.” If you’re lucky enough to work with people who are always thinking, dreaming and exploring possibilities, count your blessings. And whatever you do, don’t discourage them.
- “Whose idea was this, anyway?” Forget the who, remember the what. Focus on the merits of the idea rather than the source. The who part is only important when you need to track down the source for more clarity or to offer recognition.
So, how many of those expressions have you heard or used in your own experience? I suspect more than a few. Heeding Max’s guidance, let’s all commit to eliminating them from our vernacular and engaging in more positive, more innovative, more effective conversation by going from phrases like, “Yes, but…” to “Yes, and…”
Happy Networking!
Brilliant
Very smart Father❣️