Johann Hunt
We all say things we regret at work, but certain words carry serious weight with management, and most people don’t even realize when they’ve said something that raises eyebrows. So before your next check-in or team huddle, take a look at these 10 sneaky phrases that might be making your manager second-guess your competence.
“I’m Just Following Orders.”
People often use this phrase when they’re trying to dodge responsibility. Take Milgram’s infamous Yale experiment: 65% of participants followed harmful instructions simply because an authority figure told them to. Decades later, the mindset lingers, especially when people choose safety over speaking up.
“That’s Not My Job.”
When a team member says “That’s not my job,” they’re basically refusing to think beyond their title. During Apollo 13’s crisis, every NASA engineer pitched in—no silos, no excuses. That’s why this mindset creates workplace friction, as it signals someone who won’t step up when flexibility matters the most.
“They Didn’t Give Me What I Needed.”
This line shifts blame onto others for missing input, and as a result, progress grinds to a halt. In fact, Deloitte found that top performers create workarounds while average ones complain. That’s why leaders quickly notice who takes ownership and who waits around for someone else to fix things.
“That’s Impossible.”
When Dyson suggested a bagless vacuum, experts said it couldn’t happen—5,127 prototypes later, it did. Similarly, Elon Musk was told reusable rockets were unachievable. Yet in 2020, SpaceX completed 26 successful landings. Turns out, writing off bold ideas too fast screams small-picture thinking.
“That’s Just How I Am.”
Colleagues who use phrases like “That’s just how I am” usually aren’t open to feedback or collaboration. Push for change, and they throw up walls, expecting everyone else to adapt. Unsurprisingly, it’s a red flag in interviews, too, because real growth starts when people stop defending their limitations.
“We’ve Always Done It This Way.”
You’ll hear this a lot in places that fear change more than failure. For example, Kodak made this mistake by sticking with film even after inventing the digital camera, and that attitude nearly erased the company. Hence, lesson learnt: Innovation dies if comfort zones become more important than a competitive advantage.
“If It Was Important, Someone Would’ve Said Something.”
Pilots are trained to challenge such a mindset, as it’s been tied to aviation disasters. In office settings, however, it shows up as avoidance of tough conversations or ignored warning signs. Likewise, fraud cases often escalate when teams mistake silence for a sign that everything’s fine.
“I Thought Someone Else Was Handling That.”
Psychologists call this phrase “diffusion of responsibility.” Without clear ownership, communication breaks down, and serious mistakes start slipping through the cracks. In high-functioning teams, everyone knows their lane—and when they don’t, they ask.
“I Don’t Have Time For That.”
The folks who truly perform at a high level rarely use time as an excuse. They move things around, delegate like pros, cut through noise, and somehow still hit the deadline. Meanwhile, the ones tossing out this phrase like confetti are just tangled up in distractions.
“I Didn’t Think It Mattered.”
NASA lost a $125 million Mars orbiter because an employee skipped a basic unit conversion, assuming it wasn’t a big deal. Spoiler: it was. That single oversight destroyed an entire mission. In fact, executives refer to this blatant negligence as the “silent killer” of project quality.