Your words hold the power
Your ability to influence, engage, inspire and drive performance from your team all stems from your language skills. The effectiveness of your relationships, your ability to build trust or your skill to craft powerful communications by email, through reports or to be delivered from stage all rely on your mastery of language.
You can create the best strategy in the world but if you can’t communicate it in a way that inspires action and full engagement from the team, what’s the point?
What I have discovered is that the power of our language is influenced less by how well we did in English class at school and more to do with our certainty, what we think about ourselves and our passion for the work we do.
Powerful language comes from a powerful belief in you!
Yes it really is that simple.
What you believe to be true (whether it is true or not) influences the words you use on a consistent basis. If you don’t believe you are worthy of your position, if you don’t believe the targets really can be met, if you don’t believe in the talents of your team… it will come out subtly in the words you use.
Your words leave clues.
They are a signpost to what you are thinking and what you believe. They influence your actions and behaviours and the response of those around you.
It is the smallest tweaks to your language that can make the biggest difference.
Here are 4 easy tweaks to communicate more powerfully
1. Believe in YOU.
It all begins here. If you don’t believe in you, no one else will. Notice where you doubt yourself. And know that much of what you believe about yourself is complete bunkum!
Shifting your negative beliefs will automatically change the way you communicate and is absolutely the fastest way to tapping into your most powerful influencing abilities and being recognised for your impact.
2. Speak of what you want…. not what you don’t want.
This helps to focus the mind to achieving a positive result rather than avoiding a negative result. Here are a couple of examples to get you started.
- Don’t be late to today’s meeting ===> I’d appreciate you being on time (or early) for today’s meeting.
- I hope I don’t mess up my speech at the conference ===> I’m determined to present clearly and with unwavering confidence
- It’s important we don’t miss budget ===> Let’s focus this month in lifting sales and exceeding budget expectations
3. Eliminate words that drag you down.
Words have energy. Some are light and filled with possibility and some are heavy and block progress. The goal is to eliminate the words that are heavy and drag you down. My clients know that there are some words I don’t allow them to use!
I was speaking with a client this morning who described “dreading” relocating to head up a different geographical region. After a brief discussion focusing on the positives associated with the move, she shifted her language around the move to it being a “huge opportunity for a fresh start with amazing people.” And with this change in language came a sense of excitement, possibility and energy.
4. Limit Negativity.
Sometimes our language displays negativity or a lack of choice. If you are one of the many who fall into negative patterns with your words (happens to me too!), here’s a handy guide for reframing what comes out of your mouth so it’s empowering.
- I can’t do it =====> I choose not to
- I really should =====> I would like to or I can
- I have to =====> I really want to
- I’ll give it a try =====> I will do this
Which of these simple tweaks could you implement today that would have you communicating with more impact and influence?
Remember: When you align your thoughts with your words and your actions, amazing things happen.
And it starts with YOU. Change your beliefs, change your words, change your outcomes. Good luck !
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