We get caught in a rut of saying specific phrases or words we’re accustomed to. They’ve begun to become part of our lexicology. But our words often become outdated, transformed, or harmful. All of these things happen in the leadership world, too. Leadership cliches. The sayings we’ve used for years are no longer appropriate. The terms hurt those we lead. We’ve got to do better.
4 Leadership Cliches You Should Stop Using
Here are 4 leadership cliches leaders need to stop saying…
1. Man up:
Man up has been used to tell people to hold it together. You’ve got to be a man and deal with the situation.
There’s a problem with this. The workforce is no longer a male-dominated arena. In fact, the workplace hasn’t been that way for quite a long time.
Let’s stop using Man Up when we talk to our teams. Instead, you might tell them to handle the situation like an adult. This gives them the opportunity to think about what actions they would need to take to deal with a situation appropriately.
2. Lead, follow, or get out of my way:
This is a quote many people use to encourage people to lead, fall in line, or to stay away from them. It’s never been a great quote.
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People like the quote because the quote seems to the point and pushes a person to go in a direction they would choose. You’re giving the person a choice to lead, follow, or step aside, right?
I don’t think so.
Instead, this quote can be interpreted to tell the person that it’s the leader’s way or no way. There’s no room for someone who disagrees.
Instead of Lead, follow, or get out of my way, let’s begin saying Help me, watch me, or is there a better fit for you somewhere else?
