5 corporate clichés that are killing your culture (part 2)
You know those phrases leaders love to say — the ones that sound reasonable on the surface but actually make your team roll their eyes, lose trust or quietly lose their minds? Yeah. We’re back for round two (see part 1 here).
These corporate clichés aren’t just annoying. They’re damaging. They fuel burnout, stall progress and make your company culture feel more like a carefully managed PR campaign than a place where real people work.
If you want to build trust, stop using vague leadership language that does the opposite. Here are five more workplace phrases that need to go — for good.
1. “This is a priority.”
Here’s a wild idea: A priority is supposed to mean the most important thing. Not five things. Not everything. Just one.
But somehow, this phrase gets tossed around like confetti — usually by people who have no clue what their teams are already juggling. And when everything’s a priority, nothing is. That’s not leadership. That’s chaos in a blazer.
What others hear: Do this new thing. But also keep doing everything else.
The problem: It’s vague. Where does this “priority” land on the pile?
The impact: Teams try to do it all — quickly, imperfectly and at the expense of their sanity.
What to do instead: Rank your priorities and make the list visible. If something urgent comes up, help your team figure out what to pause. If nothing can wait, the problem isn’t time. It’s your expectations.
2. “Can you just put something together?
Ah yes, the classic drive-by request. It always starts with “just” — as in, “Can you just throw together a deck by tomorrow?” or “Can you just put some messaging down real quick?” As if the work is fast, easy and not worth stressing over.
Spoiler: Adding “just” to a request doesn’t automatically make it easier to deliver.
What others hear: I need something amazing, but I’m not giving you time, context or input.
The problem: It undercuts the effort required and disrespects the person doing the work.
The impact: Teams feel rushed, quality suffers and resentment builds. Especially when leadership swoops in later with edits that change everything.
What to do instead: Treat creative, strategic or technical work like it matters — because it does. If it’s truly a quick lift, say so. If not, give it the time and space it deserves.
Tip: A cousin of this phrase is, “Can you just give me a few options?” And it usually comes from someone who hasn’t taken time to figure out what they want. Well, stop and think about it before you put the burden on someone else.
3. “Let’s take this offline.”
Translation: Let’s pretend we’ll revisit this privately and then never speak of it again.
This phrase tends to pop up when someone raises a tough or inconvenient issue in a group setting — something that deserves discussion, not deflection. Instead, it gets swept off the agenda and into the void.
What others hear: I don’t want to deal with this in front of people. Please stop talking.
The problem: It shuts down transparency and reinforces power dynamics.
The impact: People stop bringing things up. Which means problems go unsolved and trust erodes.
What to do instead: If a conversation truly needs to continue elsewhere, say when and how. Then follow through. If it doesn’t need to be moved at all, have the guts to handle it in the room.
Now, let me be clear: Sometimes this phrase is warranted — like when someone’s off topic, out of line or hijacking the conversation. I’m talking about the overexplainers, the oversharers, and the let-me-tell-you-how-to-do-your-job-ers.
Otherwise, throw it in the garbage.
4. “Let’s stay positive.”
Look, positivity has its place. But if someone’s giving honest feedback or expressing concern and your response is “Let’s stay positive,” you’ve officially crossed into toxic territory.
This phrase is often used to maintain a vibe instead of addressing a real issue. It pressures people to smile through dysfunction — and the worst part? It’s usually said by someone who isn’t personally feeling the impact.
What others hear: Stop being difficult and pretend everything’s fine.
The problem: It shuts down real talk and rewards performative cheerfulness.
The impact: People learn to sugarcoat, self-censor or stay silent — none of which leads to better outcomes.
What to do instead: Make room for frustration. You can be constructive and real at the same time. Positivity that ignores pain isn’t optimism — it’s denial.
Tip: There’s a huge difference between feedback and negativity, so start drawing that line in your head. If someone says, “I’m not sure that’ll work because of [insert roadblock],” they’re trying to keep the ship afloat, not steer it into an iceberg.
5. “Change is hard.”
Sure. But let’s not use that fact as an excuse for poor planning, communication breakdowns or total lack of support. This phrase often gets trotted out when leadership senses friction — but instead of examining why, they pin it on people’s natural resistance to change.
Believe it or not, most employees don’t hate change. They hate chaos.
What others hear: Suck it up — we knew this would be rough and we’re doing it anyway.
The problem: It blames people for reacting instead of addressing how the change is being handled.
The impact: Teams feel dismissed and unsupported and become more resistant over time.
What to do instead: Acknowledge the hard parts, but also own your role in making change doable. Clear direction, thoughtful rollouts and real-time support go a long way.
Also, can we take a moment to address one of my biggest pet peeves? Why do people say the most obvious things on the planet like they’re edgy or profound? Yes, change is hard. Also, the sky is blue, and I want a side of ranch with my pizza. Now, what are you going to do to make this change easier?
Words can lead — or mislead.
Words matter. They shape how people feel, what they believe and whether they stick around.
So the next time you’re tempted to throw out a go-to phrase, ask yourself: Am I leading, or am I dodging? Am I being clear, or just trying to sound professional?
Cut the noise. Say what you mean. And if you really want a strong culture? Start by speaking like a human.
