Infographic: What managers should never say to employees

This article originally ran in 2019 and is part of our annual countdown of the most-viewed stories from PR Daily.

“Boy, you haven’t skipped any meals lately, have you?”

This is something a boss (or anyone, really) should never say. Unfortunately, we live in a world full of rude, vulgar, insensitive or just plain incompetent people—many of whom have slithered into positions of authority.

Of course, even brilliant bosses make mistakes and say things they shouldn’t.

Headway Capital has a handy infographic full of annoying phrases that should not pass through a manager’s lips, such as these deflating utterances:

“I don’t pay you so I can do your job for you!” Great point, boss.

Instead of saying something obnoxious and unhelpful, the infographic suggests asking employees questions that lead to better problem solving, such as: “What would be your plan in this situation?”