Minority in your chosen profession or not, we all sometimes find ourselves in sticky situations at work. Here are some powerful retorts for your professional armamentarium from 7 Tricky Work Situations by Alicia Bassuk published in the Harvard Business Review:
Design by Sasha Retana, MD. Photo courtesy of Abacus Group.
See full article for descriptions of situations.
Situation #1: Someone takes credit for your idea.
What you should say:
“Thanks for spotlighting my point.”
Situation #2: You’re asked to stay late when you’re about to leave the office for a personal obligation.
What you should say:
“Excuse me, I have another commitment.”
Situation #3: In a pivotal situation, a trusted colleague snaps at you.
What you should say:
“This isn’t about what you do for me. It is about what you did to me.”
Situation #4: You have to say “no.”
What you should say:
“This is a good launching point.”
Situation #5: You have to give negative or awkward feedback to someone you’re close with.
What you should say:
“I’m here to be for you what someone once was for me.”
Situation #6: You need to push back on a decision you believe is wrong.
What you should say:
“This is my preference.”
Situation #7: You need to escalate a serious issue.
What you should say:
“Your response gives me cause to take this further.”
this is great. I am totally going to use those! you should make pinnable images though! can I make you one?
Yes please! Thank you!