No matter how comfortable you've become with your workmates and your workplace itself, there are still some types of conversations left that should totally be off-limits no matter the circumstance. VitalSmarts, a leadership education and training firm has found that of the 775 respondents to the recent survey they did with regards to workplace behaviour, 83 percent of the said group have witnessed encounters amongst their colleagues which resulted to major disasters career-wise, according to CIO. As stated by the same study, 69 percent of the entirety of the group has admitted to having committed catastrophic comments themselves. Here are five things VitalSmarts listed to be the most common career-killing conversations at work that should be avoided at all times:
1. Suicide by feedback
David Maxfield, the vice president of research at VvitalSmarts, says that this is one of the most common scenarios of all. "'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all' - that adage is true in what our research found. One respondent says he gave his manager feedback in a public meeting. While he didn't feel that the feedback was especially harsh, what he didn't realize was that his manager's boss was in attendance - and the respondent's manager felt ambushed and violated," says Maxfield.
2. Gossip karma
"It's wasy to make a lapse in judgment or trust the wrong colleague, even if you're just trying to blow off some steam or even if you're trying to do the right thing and practice how to approach a difficult situation," Maxfield says. He also stated that this usually occurs whenever you're trying to expose your true feelings about something.
3. Taboo topics
Politics, religion, and other emotionally charged topics are better avoided. Not only are those provoking topics, but they can also touch some areas that shouldn't be touched at all.
4. Word rage
"There's a fine line between if you say, 'Who came up with this ridiculous idea?' or when you use an obscenity; then the attacks become personal - especially if you're using the 'F' word. In an example from our survey, a respondent says a colleague yelled, 'Who's the dumbass who had this idea?' and it was a very poor response, to say the least. When you move from the general, 'This is a bad idea' to 'dumbass', you're definitely crossing a line," Maxfield stated.
5. Reply all
Even if this situation could just be chalked up to clumsiness, being rushed or just not focusing enough attention on the task at hand, Maxwell says that it still has the potential to be dangerous to your career. Pay more attention and always double check everything before proceeding to your next step
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