You’ll be surprised how much your communication changes when you begin to remove the word. Challenge your colleagues to do the same and call you out when you let it slip. Why make your actions appear smaller or less significant? Using the word “just” before a declaration diminishes the intent. We talked about what it seemed to imply - everyone agreed - and how different that message was from the way we saw ourselves: trusted advisers, true partners, win-win champions of customer success.” I sent a memo to my work teammates about the “J” word and suggested a moratorium on using it. As I started really listening, I realized that striking it from a phrase almost always clarified and strengthened the message.Īnd as I began to pay attention, I was astonished - believe me - at how often I used the word. Yet I began to notice that just wasn’t about being polite: It was a subtle message of subordination, of deference. “I am all about respectful communication. Here’s an excerpt from the article that inspired this post: I put together a list of words and phrases I use to a fault. They muddy expectations and downplay authority. The words “just” and “but” and “try” all diminish the quality of our input and ability to complete tasks.
When used as a stand-alone without a hyphen, it is used as an action. When you start thinking about the words we use to soften our language, they begin to reveal a lot about how we view ourselves in the workplace. If you keep getting them confused, consider that the meaning of the word check is a verb. Softer language is often used in delivering feedback and critiques, but are some of our language choices selling ourselves short in the eye of our superiors? High levels of emotional EQ, collaborative working style, active leadership techniques, etc. I’ve always felt women have particular advantages in working environments. My studio mates and I were chatting about client communication the other week, and Colleen (otherwise known as 2nd Truth) mentioned this article on women’s tendency to overuse the word “just.” It got me thinking about my experiences in consulting and how different my language and tone tends to be based on who I’m working with.
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