Each of the five phrases below, according to William Stinnett, Master Trainer for Gordon Training International, is designed to make a point about productivity, performance, team morale, and the like. But each carries some risk that they may produce exactly the opposite effect.

• Don't bring me problems. Bring me solutions. This highly annoying phrase is often uttered with the best of intentions. The leader, of course, wants to encourage his or her team members to think for themselves. Be less dependent. Be more entrepreneurial. But, it often does more harm than good. Sometimes there are problems that are beyond the scope or abilities of team members. If they take you literally, "I am not supposed to come to you unless I have thought of a way to fix this," truly dangerous situations will linger without proper attention. Small problems become major catastrophes. Inherent in the phrase is the notion that team members who come to their leader without a solution are inadequate or poor performers. Too literal an interpretation of this will lead to isolation.
   
• Hurry up. Anyone who has tried to complete a project or finish a proposal or meet a deadline knows how much anxiety that produces. Having someone remind us of the consequences of not finishing does little to move things along. Also implied is the idea that the team member doesn't understand the urgency of the situation. They are too stupid to know that they must move quickly. They may respond by increasing the level of activity but the result may be more errors that need to be corrected or overall poor quality.
   
• There is no "I" in team. Meant as a way of stressing the importance of teamwork, this phrase carries the thinly veiled reproach, "You are selfish." It is important for each team member to recognize and respect the needs of the team. It does not mean that the individual disappears. Nor does it mean that the needs of the individual team members become unimportant. Nor does it mean that a team member who tries to meet his or her important needs is not a "team player." In fact, teams who fail to recognize this have trouble achieving their goals. Part of the team's responsibility is to help its members succeed. That means listening to the individual team members as well as holding them accountable for completing their important team tasks.
   
• There are no problems, only opportunities or challenges. Actually, there are problems. Trying to deny reality doesn't make them go away. This phrase is used, I believe, to encourage team members to think more positively and creatively. But, it may also communicate that the leader is unwilling to listen when there is real trouble, when open, honest communication is most important.

There are a number of signals that indicate your organization is too dependent on these clichés. Do an inventory of your own personal list and try to hear how other people might interpret your message. Is it really what you want to be communicating? The overuse of such phrases is often more dangerous than leaders realize. This is true of the five mentioned above, but there are many others. Stay away from these clichés. Leadership is complex. Clarity is a virtue.

Looking for more support in building your leadership skills? Our "Success Circle" may be the missing piece to "living your leadership."

Leadership Success Circle provides you with this support network that all leaders need. You will find leaders who experience similar barriers and challenges to yours, and together you can find solutions.

Leadership training opportunities are offered in many ways to meet your organization's specific needs and budget. Take a look at our different training approaches, including these On-Demand traning courses:

• Supervisor 101
• Bringing Out the Best in You and Others
• Managing Staff in Stressful Times: Celebrations and Challenges of Leading Multiple Generations
• Dealing With Difficult People
• Creating a Culture of Customer Service Excellence
• The Healthy Leader: Learning to Lead Yourself