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Powerful language comes from a powerful belief in you!

Powerful language comes from a powerful belief in you!

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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 presentation 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 recently with a client 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.

Simple tweaks can make a massive difference.

Which of these simple tweaks could you implement today that would have you communicating with more impact and influence?

And it starts with YOU. Change your beliefs, change your words, change your outcomes. Good luck!

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Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
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Your words hold the power

Your words hold the power

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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 !

[jc_buttons]

LET'S CONNECT

Click below to…

Join “Leading Ladies” – a private FREE Facebook group of over 1600 other mid-career professional women to inspire and support
Join the newsletter list for weekly tips and strategies showing you how to ignite your career, lead your way and accelerate your success. 
Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
Get my best tips on working smarter not harder 
Read my latest blog post.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact my team.

Similar Blog Posts

5 Tips for Blending Work and…

The days are getting warmer and the evenings longer which means we are on the downhill stretch to Christmas, the silly season and the end of the year.
And with restrictions finally lifted – it’s time to get out and about and connect… in person.

Jane Benston

Side view.Young businesswoman dressed in light pink shirt sitting at wooden table and using laptop while talking on cellphone.Girl uses digital gadget. On table cup of coffee. Online shopping,working.

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It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

Front view of a doubtful woman shrugging shoulders and looking at you sitting on a sofa at home

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It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

Our Words Can Empower Us … Or … Disempower Us

Our Words Can Empower Us … Or … Disempower Us

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Imagine if by focusing in on changing just a couple of words in your every day communications with your team, colleagues and customers, you could have more influence, impact and achieve improved results.  

The fact of the matter is … you can! 

From the moment we learn to talk, we influence our environment, those around us and our outcomes through the power of our words.  We use words to express our joy, fear, happiness, anger, frustrations and our deepest desires. The words we use have the power to inspire and motivate or discourage and debilitate.

So let me make a little confession here… I am a bit of a stickler for the words we use.  Not because I am any sort of wordsmith or have a Masters in English Literature, but because I have seen the impact our choice of words has on the effectiveness of our communication and on how we feel

Most of us, most of the time are not aware of the words we use. I have more than once interrupted a conversation with a client to highlight disempowering language and provide guidance to find a more empowering way to express the thought or idea. 

One client put it most eloquently for me.  Changing the words she uses on a regularly basics (and eliminating others) has “changed the colour of my world.”  The way she expresses herself now is empowering and inclusive.  She has improved her interactions with her team. Her improved communication skills and relationships have contributed to recent outstanding sales results.

Our gift of language is a bit like breathing … most of the time what we say to ourselves and to others is unconscious and we are completely oblivious to how our words affect us. 

Many of the words we use come with an emotional charge.  

When we use words stacked with negative emotions we trigger a physiological flight or fight response.  This response was designed to help us flee from the scary wild beast… not manage the everyday trials and tribulations of the modern work environment. 

Here are 5 words that come with an emotional charge and are worth avoiding.  Eliminate these words… and notice the difference in how you feel and the response you receive from those around you. 

1. I’m Overwhelmed – Think for a moment how you feel when you say something like “I feel overwhelmed.”  There is a sense of hopelessness and impossibility. 

Now imagine replacing the word overwhelmed with “I’m a bit busy” or “I have a challenging schedule” or “I am prioritising a heavy work load right now.”  The energy around the statement is lighter and it is filled with more possibly. 

2.  I’m Angry – To say you are “angry” about a situation such as an error made by one of your team members or a missed timeline on a project brings with it an emotional intensity.  Sometimes it is warranted and productive but most of the time to language the emotion we are feeling as anger will only heighten the emotion and could, in fact, intensify the situation.

Now imagine changing the description of your emotion to “being annoyed”, “disappointed” or “frustrated.”  It doesn’t mean you don’t feel angry but by changing the word you will minimise the intensity of the situation, giving you more chance of achieving an amicable resolution.

3. It’s Hard – When we say something is hard, it gives the impression that it is almost impossible to achieve.  When we replace it with the word “challenging” it gives the task or situation a greater sense of possibility and even a sense of excitement. 

4. I’ll Try – To try to do something presupposes failure and gives a sense of an attempt only and, in my view, is a bit of cop out! In the words of Yoda “Do or not do. There is no try.”  

5. I’m OK – when someone asks you how are you doing, instead of saying “fine” or “OK”, ramp up the emotional dial and say something like “I feel fabulous” or “I’m sensational!”  As simplistic as this sounds, it creates a new pattern in your neurology and you will receive a quick injection of happy hormones. 

Now it is your turn.  What words do you use on a consistent basis which are disempowering or negatively impact your emotions? 

If you don’t like the results you are getting, take a look at the words you are using and choose to be more selective.  Choose to select words that empower you and engage others.  Break old patterns and create new resourceful patterns that help you manage your emotions and have you noticed as a powerful communicator.

[jc_buttons]

LET'S CONNECT

Click below to…

Join “Leading Ladies” – a private FREE Facebook group of over 1600 other mid-career professional women to inspire and support
Join the newsletter list for weekly tips and strategies showing you how to ignite your career, lead your way and accelerate your success. 
Watch The Next Level Training to breakthrough to the next level of leadership, impact and recognition.  
Get my best tips on working smarter not harder 
Read my latest blog post.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact my team.

Similar Blog Posts

5 Tips for Blending Work and…

The days are getting warmer and the evenings longer which means we are on the downhill stretch to Christmas, the silly season and the end of the year.
And with restrictions finally lifted – it’s time to get out and about and connect… in person.

Jane Benston

Side view.Young businesswoman dressed in light pink shirt sitting at wooden table and using laptop while talking on cellphone.Girl uses digital gadget. On table cup of coffee. Online shopping,working.

A Change of Perception

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston

Front view of a doubtful woman shrugging shoulders and looking at you sitting on a sofa at home

What’s holding you back?

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that an incredibly accomplished woman may find herself held back… Held back from achieving her aspirations, from stepping into her leadership potential and from becoming even more accomplished.

Jane Benston