As a person who talks and listens for a living, I’ve got a front row seat to phrases going in and out of circulation.
This doesn’t mean that I know all of the cool elementary school phrases (MOM! HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW THIS MEME?!) but I do have a good handle on how we talk at work.
Need some new vocabulary? Here are some popular phrases lately in the Pluckyverse…
Fair enough. A few weeks ago, my client shared this as a phrase he and his teenage son have embraced. “Fair enough” allows for both parties to acknowledge a compromise that means “I’m thinking about this differently but this is not a hill I’ll die on.” Obviously this sounds like GOLD for parenting a teen but I’ve also used it to reframe a client’s conflict with a coworker. Is there a way to say “fair enough”? Is there a teammate who never says “fair enough”? What does this tell you about the maturity (or not!) of the folks you’re around all day?
Help me help you. This is the iconic vibe for saying “YOU ARE NOT DELEGATING SOMETHING AND YOU ARE DROWNING SO LET ME SHARE THE LOAD.” This can be a reassuring way to convey that you’re willing to help but beware of coming across as condescending. There’s a difference between earnest offers to help and sticking your nose where it’s unwanted!
Get your house in order! Okay so, admittedly, this is something that I’ve exclaimed with alarming frequency as clients tell me about toxic stuff going on at work. (Is everyone bored of winter and doubling down on drama? Maybe yes.) To be clear, I don’t yell this one at my clients; instead, I yell it at their coworkers, managers, landlords, CONGRESSMEN, and so we laugh together. Are you using your workplace as an outlet for your external control issues? Find a therapist and/or personal trainer and GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER!
Manager Weeklies
Need more help with words at work? You may want to check out Plucky’s Manager Weeklies.
I designed these planners a few years ago with managers in mind but they’re useful to all employees! Set up your priorities, obstacles, ideas and team tracking for the week. In the last few pages of the planner, you’ll also find several helpful pages of “try these phrases.” Enjoy!
Two spots left for manager training!
We have two seats remaining for April’s So Now You’re a Manager training. Here are some recent quotes about the program:
“At times it was like a therapy session where you got to talk about your issues at work! That was helpful in itself but also great to hear about the challenges others were facing.”
“In a world of vague definitions of management success, I found it very helpful to learn success metrics that are clear and easy to keep top of mind.”
“As a very recent new manager, SNYAM was a fun and helpful way of fostering a small community of peers who face similar challenges and opportunities. To learn together – and to realize none of us faced these challenges alone – was really valuable and a lovely way to spend a few Fridays.”
Does this sound like a program for you or someone on your team? Grab one of the last seats!
Last of all…
When my preference for spring break plans didn’t mesh well with my family’s needs, I had to say “fair enough.” When I noticed a fellow mom struggling to board a plane with two babies and a stroller and a suitcase, I said a version of “help me help you” and she handed me a baby to hold. (Cute!)
And some days, when I am overwhelmed with my list of calendar events and to-dos, I say: Jen. Get your house in order. It’s the only way I’ll be valuable to myself and the people around me.
Yours in figuring it all out,
xo Jen
P.S. Thanks for sharing the So Now You’re a Manager Equity Scholarship last month… we had a number of great candidates and have awarded the scholarship for April. Folks should still apply for the October cohort later this year!
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