“I was just curious if X has been done.”
Scratch that.
“I was curious if X has been done.”
We’ll do you one better.
“Has X been done yet?”
The ability to communicate confidently and efficiently has a dramatic effect on every aspect of life; from your daily grind on the emails to your personal relationships at home. If communication is so important, then, why do we so often continue on a path of self-sabotage with weak language?
The culprit word in focus today is the word ‘just’. Though seemingly small and inconspicuous, this little word is often used in a way that can hugely undermine your credibility. It’s one of those words that never really needs to be used. Ever.
Not in emails, not on a phone call, not in person. Ever.
There’s the obvious “I just left the meeting” use of the word, that’s a no-brainer. We’re referring to the other use of the word.
“I just need you to…”, “I just called because…”, “I just wanted you to know…”. This variation of ‘just’ has an apologetic quality, a weakness to it that oozes a tone of uncertainty and an air of indecision. Taking the small step of removing it from your vocabulary entirely could mean big things for your overall perception in the workplace.
Today one of the boys here in the BH office noticed his use of the word ‘just’ in a few ready-to-send emails. All it took was a single proofread to pickup on the error and his email was cleaned up, sent off, and looking nice and tidy – sans the word in question.
Though his weak language usage wasn’t excessive, it was unnecessary. When you use fragile language such as the word ‘just’ you severely harm your own credibility and open up doors that are better off left closed. You’re showing clients or superiors the way to opt out of a proposal or a question you want a response for, and a response you need to work in your favour.
“Has X been done yet?” You’re shooting straight, keeping it clear and putting them on the spot for a similarly clear and straight answer.
It’s that simple. Go get it done.
RELATED: One Simple Conversation Trick To Help You Get What You Want.
