Your job title isn’t the only thing that determines how influential you are. Every word you use at work expresses your personal brand, from your confidence and authority to your depth of knowledge. And it’s verbs-those action words that should be the engine of a sentence-that most often trip us up
“Think”
In ordinary conversation, “I think” is a throwaway phrase that won’t even register on most people, but you may want to steer clear of it at work.
- While it’s fine to mutter occasionally (“I think I’ll have coffee with my friend”), you’re better off axing any prefatory phrase in professional settings.
“Guess”
If you aren’t sure of the results, that’s fine! Don’t lie or exaggerate. Use the most confident expression you can.
- “We expect our profit for the year to be ahead of last year’s,”
- Don’t be tentative.
“Hope”
Hope implies that the speaker has little control over the outcome.
- Alternative: “I’m looking forward to a win,” or “I know you’ll give it your all.”
- Show confidence in what your team can already do, rather than questioning their performance in the future.
“Need”
Using “need” conjures up a feeling of dependency on the speaker, rather than of obligation and responsibility on the part of the team.
- To project more confidence, swap it with firm but polite phrases like, “Please have this report to me by next Friday.”
“Suppose”
Do not indicate that you do not care by saying “I suppose so.”
- Find something to express your passion for even if it is not the meeting experience itself.
- News travels fast, and if the words you repeatedly use suggest a “don’t really care” attitude, it’s a matter of time before your reputation and influence begin to dip.
“Want”
Similar to “need”: It suggests the speaker is wanting or lacking in some way
- Better way to get what you want is to simply set forth facts
- “Your work on this report needs to be higher quality.”
- Don’t make an emotional appeal and signal lack of confidence
