Own who you are and what you know

Have you ever wanted to be more confident when sharing your ideas or giving feedback?

And I’m not just talking about delivering a talk on a stage. Maybe in work meetings or a church small group or perhaps even with your friends and family.

There is a subtle way you could be undermining your confidence, and once you pay attention to it, you won't be able to un-hear it.

Here’s what it sounds like:

“I know this isn’t my direct wheelhouse, but I was thinking it might be good to...”

or

“I could be wrong, but I think...”

In my roles as a marketing executive and also as a speaking and communications coach, I consistently work with people to get them to stop self-disqualifying themselves when they speak.

The initial qualifiers unconsciously thrown into your language give others the implied permission to disregard what you have to say next, and any argument or perspective that follows is made weaker because of it.

Self-disqualifying language undermines the makeup of who you are and what you know, and I’d love to see more of us own our experiences, perspectives, and expertise.

So let’s fix it.

Remove the qualifier and replace it with a self-assured statement, then back it up with your perspective and learnings.

“If I were making the decision, I would do X because of A, B, and C.”

or

“Based on what I know, I think we should...”

Own who you are. Own what you know. Own your ideas.

Interested in improving your speaking and communication skills to more confidently deliver your message? Learn more about what it’s like to work with me as your speaking coach.