While many times I write about my children as children, the reality is that they are technically adults. So much so that one of them is getting married later this year. What have I learned? Wedding planning is not fun.
Therefore, as I write this month’s newsletter, I am sitting in my office getting a myriad of texts, emails, calls, and the like from everyone remotely related to my daughter’s wedding. And you know what? It is all insane.
Everyone knows that weddings can get out of control, emotions can run wild, and every person has an opinion. As a result, my husband and I have recycled a few catchphrases from past family event planning that we find ourselves once again needing. The best part about these catchphrases is that they are also helpful in the workforce.
The phrases are:
A. Thank you for letting me know.
B. I really don’t care.
C. That isn’t going to happen.
So, when someone whom my daughter isn’t friends with (and until recently barely acknowledged her existence) says, “Ooh, I would really like to be invited to your wedding.” Instead of saying, “My parents told me I can only invite friends,” phrase A is quite effective.
Another example is when a family member tells me that we should have caviar, special chairs, filet mignon, or some unwanted, expensive, and/or frivolous item at the party. What I want to say is, “Are you paying the bill?” Instead, I just say, “Thank you for letting me know.”
What about the workplace? Let’s say an employee tells you that they should get a 40% increase in pay. Responding with “thank you for letting me know” is quite effective. I would only use “I really don’t care” if you want that person and everyone else to quit.
When is choice B appropriate? That is best used when my husband and I are discussing minute details. Like, “Do you prefer purple or light purple?” Or when a friend asks, “How is the room being set up?” My response is, “It is months away; I just don’t care about that right now.”
What about work? Let’s say a staff member is putting together a presentation, and you are asked about the color of the font or whether the copies should be single or double-sided. You get my drift.
Catchphrase C is one we have yet to use, but we are prepared for it when needed. Let’s say we are asked about horse-drawn carriages, boats, messenger delivered invites, Tiffany party favors, anything highlighted in the movie Crazy Rich Asians or by any Kardashian. In that case, we are prepared to say, “That isn’t going to happen.”
In the workplace context, I remembered many years ago, some employees at the company I worked for requested that a company extension be run to the local bar. Again, “thank you for letting me know” would have worked fine, but the reality is, that was never going to happen.
Want to learn how to best manage your employees and what you should and shouldn’t say? Contact The HR Team to schedule employee and management training.
-Eileen
