A small habit to quit at work

Cari Nazeer
Forge
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2 min readJul 30, 2020
Photo: FatCamera/Getty Images

🚫 Today’s tip: Stop saying “we” when you mean “I.”

We’ve written before about the pitfalls of using “we” in place of “you” — about how something like “Do we know why that deal fell through?” may seem like an attempt at tact, but really comes off as passive-aggressive.

There’s another all-too-common case of “we” butting in where it doesn’t belong, and that’s in place of “I.” As in, “We reached out to the client” to describe something you did by yourself, or “We had an idea for that report” to describe your own lightbulb moment. Of course you should share credit where credit is due. But be mindful of the linguistic tics that can keep you from claiming credit you deserve.

📚 More from Forge on getting your due:

Write Down Every Compliment You Get
Read more >>

How to Get Praise Without Acting Like You’re Desperate for Praise
Read more >>

Why I Charge People to Get Coffee With Me
Read more >>

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