February 4, 2010Rankist Poison Phrase: I’ll have Nancy do that.
I deeply respect people who work for non-profits because they believe in the cause. Often they are overworked and underpaid. However, I do find that because they give so much, some develop a sense of entitlement that can carry over into how they treat volunteers. They need to watch for remarks like,
- I’ll have Nancy do that
that create an impression of servitude. Nancy, in this case, is a volunteer, and everything she does is service. Volunteers still need to be accountable and to do what they say they will, but they also need to know their service is appreciated. I don’t recommend anyone “having” others do things for them, even when they’re paid, But volunteers especially need wording that doesn’t sound like the manager is pulling rank.
- I’ll ask Nancy to do that
is a better choice of words.
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