Keeping the Power

The power of our Words:

Avoid 'Power Robbers'

Certain expressions, phrases and word selection can rob the speaker of his or her power. These "power robbers" should be avoided. Verbal shortcomings detract from our confidence, authority, and professionalism. Salespeople are not powerless against the power robbers, however.

Examples of power robbers are: "I guess," "I hope," "I think," "Maybe," "Sort of," "Kinda," or "Kind of," and "Probably."

Tag questions can also be power robbers. These are questions at the end of a sentence that give the impression you are unsure of what you just said, or are looking for approval. An example would be: "I think the proposal is good, don't you?" The "don't you" gives the sentence a weak ending.

If your aim is to stimulate conversation or encourage feedback, ask an independent question, such as, "I think the proposal is good. What are your impressions?" This allows you to say what you think or how you feel and encourages a response without devaluing your original statement.

Hedges are also common power robbers. These are fillers we use when we are uncertain about what we have to say or are uncomfortable with silence. The "wells," "ums," "ahs," "likes," and "you know" have no place in a sentence and become distracting and annoying if they are abundant. Words like "basically" and "frankly" are worthless fillers. Think about what you really want to say and how you are going to say it before you start to speak.

Source: Author/public-speaking coach Marjorie Brody (www.brodypro.com)

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