While getting ahead in the office is all about the work you put in, there’s more to success than simply doing a good job. Your attitude throughout your career can affect not only how other people see you but also, you see yourself and if you want to go further in your job, there is nothing more important. Carrying yourself with confidence is all well and good but if you really want to give your self esteem a boost in the workplace, you should start paying more attention to the kinds of words you’re using. Your language can make all the difference in your career and if you’re looking to go further, it might be worth getting these words out of your system now.
- “I Feel Like”
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If you’re feeling unsure about your viewpoint, you might be tempted to use this sort of phrasing in order to backtrack on your idea a little bit. While lack of certainty is a normal part of life, phrasing all of your ideas in this kind of way can have a detrimental effect on your levels of confidence. If you remove these words from your work-based vocabulary, you can throw all kinds of uncertainty out of the window and essentially, communicate more clearly.
- “Let Me Know”
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We’ve all been there; we’re trying to arrange a meeting with another person and rather than wanting to sound pushy, we leave the ball in their court and wait. And wait, and wait. Asking someone to let you know might seem like a friendly and polit stance to take but in fact, it can often lead to greater confusion down the line and a lack of efficiency. In order to show your initiative to the other person, give them an indication of when they are likely to hear from you, what you want to discuss and what you plan to have ready by that time. Going in with a bit of pre-knowledge will help you to get things going a lot more quickly.
- “Just”
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Qualifiers are a slippery language slope and once you start over using them, it’s very difficult to stop. While the word “just” can be a way of deferring to someone more senior than you, if you use if too frequently in your professional language, you risk undermining your own authority and confidence. You can state your own point without coming off as pushy. The next time you send an email, try proof reading it beforehand and removing all of the “just”s from your lexicon. You will sound more direct, sure of yourself and clear.
- “Does That Make Sense?”
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One of the most problematic phrases in the office, “does that make sense” is something that many people are guilty of using. If you’re giving a presentation and are met with a room full of silence, you might be tempted to whip out this phrase, but there’s good reason why you should let your work stand. Assume that if someone needs clarity on something that you’ve said, they will ask you about it. If not, feel free to let people think, invite questions or simply move the topic along.
- “How Do I…?”
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Before you bring a question to another worker or your boss, always make sure you’ve covered all of the options out there. If you can’t find the solution in your work folders or on your computer, heading to Google is always a good idea. If you answer all of your questions using the digital tools available to you, you can get your work done a whole lot faster, learn more in the process and come across as being much more self assured. Easy!
