The words and phrases you use not only have an effect on your readers and listeners – but they also affect your fatigue level, your confidence, and your positive (or negative!) attitude. They can affect your on-the-job performance, how you feel about your job, and your performance review.
Your words have an effect – whether you are aware of it or not. Whether you plan for it or not. It happens anyway.
For example:
To reduce your fatigue level at the end of the day:
Don’t say: “ I’ll have to look that up”
SAY: “I’ll look that up for you”
The Culprit: “I’ll have to”
Not only does your client, customer, prospect or co-worker hear what you are saying, but you hear what you are saying, time after time, all day long. “I’ll have to; I’ll have to; I’ll have to…” over and over and over. Your subconscious hears it too. All those “I’ll have to do this…” and “I’ll have to do that… and that… and that…” begin to pile up on you. Of course you’re exhausted at the end of the day!
To improve your confidence:
Don’t say: “I can’t get to that until Friday”
SAY: “I’ll have that for you Friday”
The Culprit: “I can’t”
You’re hearing “I can’t; I can’t; I can’t…” all day long. Day after day after day. And night after night after night, you carry the residual “I can’t… I can’t… I can’t…” home with you. What are you telling yourself? What are you putting into your thought process? The natural consequence of telling yourself over and over that you can’t is that you begin to believe it!
So, in addition to the positive, “can-do” relationship you are building with your client, customer, or prospect – you can reduce your fatigue level, and build your confidence – just by changing a few habitual phrases you may not have thought about!
Let’s expand this idea just a bit.
How about positioning yourself in your organization, or with your customer or prospect? Which of the following phrases is the strongest, the most “leader-like”? And the weakest? Which phrases position you appropriately?
I think
I know
I believe
I’d like to
I am convinced
I can
There is no question
To encourage helpful feedback and positive action:
Don’t say: “Why don’t we…” or “Why don’t you…”
(You run the risk of the subconscious coming up with the reasons we don’t!)
SAY: “Let’s…”; “How about…”; “What do you think about…”; or maybe, “I’d like to….”
Finally, let’s look at encouraging initiative within your organization, or even within your family:
Don’t say: “I don’t see anything wrong with that…”
SAY: “Looks good to me…”; or “Let’s try it….”
Think about the words and phrases you use habitually, day after day. Then try reducing your fatigue level, and building your confidence – just by changing a few habitual phrases you may never have thought about!
Gail Tycer offers business writing workshops and presentations; executive coaching, consulting, writing, and editing services. Call Gail at 503/292-9681, or emailgail@gailtycer.com to learn more.
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