Are you creating doubt?

Summary: Does it appear your people don’t have confidence in you? Are you creating it unintentionally? Remove the doubt words from your vocabulary.

For people to follow your lead, confidence is key. People want a leader who is clear in direction and follows through. Want to be less effective? Create doubt.  Does it seem that your people don’t have the confidence in you?  You may be creating doubt unintentionally with your words.

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Are you using these words?

• if
• maybe
• hopefully
• should
• try

I’m sure you can come up with may more. What all these words have in common is doubt or lack of certainty. Read these two sentences and see which one inspires confidence.

• We should try this and maybe our customers will respond.
• We will do this and get a positive response from our customers.

Which sentence will gain more support from your people? Which one gives YOU the confidence that it will work out? It’s important you show confidence at all times.  When you think about the people who you consider to be great leaders, did they use doubt words. Martin Luther King did not say “I think I have a dream” or John F. Kennedy did not say “You may want to consider what you can do for your country”. Of course not, their confidence was a call to action!

Ready to make a difference?

To get started take small steps.  Instead of saying “hopefully” say “It will”.  Substitute one doubt word for confidence. Do it at least once a day if not at least once in every conversation.

Ready for a bigger step? Before you hit send on an email, reread it and if you find words that may cause doubt change it. It will take time as you won’t be able to write and send. The time it takes to draft a  more confident message will pay for itself in the outcome.

Remember the old adage “it’s not what you say, but how you say it”. Say it confidently and others will follow.

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