Monday Morning Motivational Message

Ten Phrases Leaders Drop from Their Vocabulary
 
 Number 1: “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.” Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position.”
 
Number 2: “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?” Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.
 
Number 3: “I was like…” or “She was like…” The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.
 
Number 4: “Um, ah, uh, you know.” Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.  
 
Number 5: “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.” Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”
 
Number 6: “Out-of-the-box thinking” …should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring. 
 
Number 7: “You always…” Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue.
 
Number 8: “I think we should kind of do it this way.” Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.
 
Number 9: “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but…” Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value. 
 
Number 10: “Really?” It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. 
 
 
From the article: 10 Phrases to Drop from Your Vocabulary by Lou Solomon – January 3, 2018 – SUCCESS Magazine