It is amazing how some parents have tried to make a point … teach … correct … educate their children when they were growing up. These parents felt that just one phrase, said the right way, with the right voice inflection, at the right moment … could solve a problem or stop one from happening and at the same time, be a teaching moment. A friend of mine sent me examples of these “teaching moment phrases” that I thought were so good (humorous) I just had to share them with you. These parents taught their children about Religion, Logic, Compromise, Irony, Stamina, Weather, Circle of Life, Hypocrisy, Anticipation, Receiving, Wisdom, and Time Travel.

Then, these children grew up and got into the business world and started receiving memos from their bosses that were equally enlightening. Here are some quotes submitted to Dilbert Comic Strip from employees for a contest Dilbert ran on stupid quotes sent from managers.

"As of tomorrow, employees will only be able to access the building using individual security cards. Pictures will be taken next Wednesday, and employees will receive their cards in two weeks."

"What I need is a list of specific unknown problems we will encounter."

"E-mail is not to be used to pass on information or data. It should be used only for company business."

"This project is so important … we can't let things that are more important interfere with it."

"We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees."

Abraham Lincoln stated - “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak/write and remove all doubt.”  Choose your words carefully or say/write nothing at all.

Words are free.
It’s how you use them that may cost you.