Your Language Matters
As we get stuck into a new year, I want to share with you something I have really been focusing on intently recently...which is the type of language I use every day.
Let me explain.
The language you use has a tone - either positive or negative. It can be uplifting or it can bring you (and others) down.
The tone of the language you use regularly absolutely has an impact on yourself, your mood, your energy and your psychology.
It also has a really big impact on those around you - your clients, your team, your family - and how they perceive you, interact with you and feel about you.
This morning as I was getting ready I had a thought as I looked at my watch - "I better hurry up here otherwise I'll miss my train".
Immediately I caught my thoughts and recognised it was negative and centred around the fact that I was going to miss my train - so I changed the dialogue with myself.
"I better hurry up here so I can catch my train"
It may not seem like much of a shift to you - but the shift for me was moving my focus from missing my train, to catching my train.
It's the same for any area of life or business.
With fee discussions or negotiations with clients. Most people centre their internal dialogue around "I bet they ask for the fees to be cheaper" or "I bet they price check me again".
What if you changed your internal dialogue and story to "I can't wait for my client to accept my fee proposal so we can get started" or "I'm really looking forward to getting started on this project with you" (you could use that last sentence in your fee email / proposal.
With fee proposals or cost estimates - pretty much everyone I know uses words like "We've excluded" or "We have not allowed for".
Can you see how these are all negative statements?
What if you used phrases such as "We look forward to coordinating with your xxxx consultant who we anticipate will be carrying out xxxx services for you on this project" (which are the services you're excluding from your proposal.
Have a go for yourself now.
Bring a level of awareness to the type of language you use every day and if you pick up that you are using negative language - change it to positive language and notice the difference in the reaction of others around you.
Clients only want to do business with people they enjoy working with and being around. Your team will respond so much better to a leader who is positive, optimistic and upbeat.
And it all starts with the type of language you use.
Josh 'Positive Language' Stone
PS: If you’re interested, here are 4 ways I can help you right now:
- Join the Leaders In Engineering community designed specifically for engineering leaders and business owners
It’s our new Facebook community where engineering leaders and business owners are learning the strategies and leadership skills to step up and thrive right now – Click Here to join
- Download our FREE PDF guide – “How To Build A High Performing & Highly Profitable Engineering Team”
Learn the skills to get the most out of the people around you. Build a high performing engineering team that generates incredible profits and allows you to have more fun and to spend more time with the people you love – Click Here
- Book in a 15min Check In Session
Let’s discuss how you can tackle a volatile marketplace, gain visibility on the issues, challenges and problems you are facing at the moment and then work on a plan together for how to break through the mountain in front of you in order to step up and thrive! – Click Here
- Have me work with you and your team privately
If you’re serious about getting real results and you’d like me to work directly with you and your team… just send me an email at [email protected] and put “Private” in the subject line...tell me a little about yourself, the challenges you are facing and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll be in touch to discuss a plan!
