Show Me, Don't Tell Me

When I was a teenager my mother pointed out that there are things that people say that work (or should work!) as a warning for the attentive.

The phrase she was talking about at the time was "Trust me!"

"Never trust a person--a guy--that says trust me," she said.

She, was not wrong...

People only say 'trust me' when it is too late--when someone already doesn't trust them. Usually for good reason!

Years later there are some other phrases that I have added to my danger list...

These phrases may be appropriate among strangers for a minute, but among people with longer associations they are warning beacons.

Phrases like "I'm in charge here!" for example.

A stranger may need to ask who's in charge. Your employees or children should know. True leadership should be evident without a repeated say-so.

If it isn't, there's a problem.

After hearing the play-by-play of one of my dearest friends' IEP sagas I have developed a new one:

"We have your chid's best interest at heart."

Yeah, right.

I think they should wonder why they have to keep repeating this.

I think their good intentions should be obvious.

I think they should look at their failure to read the child's evaluations before the meetings, their failure to honor regs and timelines, and their horrible disinterest in strategies that make the child successful in other venues among other atrocities for the reason they're not.

Don't you?

Anyone have other danger phrases??