We all want to be viewed as valuable and essential employees. We want to help out our coworkers. We want to be good team players.
So when we’re asked to go above and beyond on a project, we buckle down, put in the long hours, and get the work done. And when we’re thanked for our efforts, many of us respond with “no problem.”
It’s a common response. It’s modest and gracious. But according to author Niklas Goeke, it also makes light of the effort that was involved in getting the work done. When you use the phrase “no problem,” you’re suggesting that the work was easy. No big deal! And you’re inviting people to take advantage of your time and effort in the future.
So how should you respond instead? Goeke recommends that you simply say “you’re welcome.” It’s friendly, polite, and doesn’t minimize or trivialize the work that you did.
Goeke, N. (n.d.). The 2 words you need to delete from your vocabulary today. The Muse. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-2-words-you-need-to-delete-from-your-vocabulary-today?ref=the-muse-editors-picks-1
