“I’ll Push This Through”… But What Does That Even Mean? The Workplace Phrase That Leaves Everyone Guessing

In many contemporary workplaces in the United States of America, it is common to find a colleague assertively stating, “I’ll push this through,” but the statement remains incomplete with regard to the process and mechanism of achieving the goal.

While the statement appears to be encouraging and assertive on the surface, it can cause a sense of ambiguity among colleagues, which remains a subtle communication gap.


Such ambiguity is important because the nature of collaboration in a workplace is heavily dependent on clarity, and the absence of such clarity can cause employees to interpret the situation on their own and create unnecessary stress.

When clarity is missing from communication

The statement “I’ll push this through” does not provide specific details on what will be done, who will be involved, and when the expected outcome will be achieved. This is problematic because it becomes difficult for other people to align themselves with the expected outcome.

According to Climb the Ladder, unclear communication from colleagues is likely to affect the level of productivity due to the lack of sufficient information to act with confidence.

In some cases, the lack of specific details in the communication may also mean that the communicator is not sure about what will happen. Therefore, it is essential for teams to recognize such communication styles and ask questions when necessary.

According to the experts, promising statements like “I’ll push this through” may also indicate a form of passive-aggressive behavior. Why? The individual may use indirect means to express themselves rather than dealing with the issue directly. This often results in underlying tensions even in seemingly neutral conversations.

Another possible reason why such vague statements might be made is that there is a need to retain power and control, especially when it comes to information or decision-making.

Avoiding conflict through vague language

In some cases, the phrase ‘I’ll push this through’ could be a way of avoiding conflicts or difficult conversations with a colleague. Instead of confronting the problem or challenge head-on, a colleague may use a vague phrase to sidestep the problem and get on with the task at hand without addressing the issues at hand.

According to the article ‘Climb the Ladder,’ avoiding conflicts by indirect communication can cause delays in problem-solving and can prevent teams from effectively addressing conflicts and disagreements in a productive manner. This may cause more problems later on because the issues are still unresolved.

One should note that when an employee is not sure, they tend to feel more stressed. In the article Climb the Ladder, the author explains that ambiguity in the workplace causes anxiety among employees.

Why clear communication matters

The phrase “I’ll push this through” is more than just a simple phrase because it represents a bigger problem with communication in the workplace, where intent and clarity are not always the same.

It’s also about trust! As studies on communication in the workplace, such as those by Climb the Ladder, indicate, a lack of clarity can undermine overall team confidence and even communication, as team members become wary of relying on such ambiguous communication.

This is because the people on the receiving end of the communication are not only listening to the actual words being said but are also interpreting the tone and the context of the statement.

Direct communication can improve the functioning of a team by providing a sense of clarity and understanding of what is expected of the people in the team.

What are your thoughts on this?