Have you ever heard someone say something in practice or in an interview that made you squirm? As you can imagine, I’ve heard more than a few. I am now collecting them for a “What not to say” segment in my newsletter-kind of like the show “What not to wear”. So please email me some the squirm worthy things you have heard and I will share them anonymously in future newsletters. Here are a few to avoid:
1. Try to: This implies maybe you will but maybe you won’t
example: “We are going to try to meet the budget” vs. “We are committed to meeting the budget”
2. The Owner: If you are referring to THIS owner, say YOU
example: “One of the things we will be doing for the owner is assisting with public outreach” vs. “One of the things we will do for you is assist with public outreach”
3. We vs. I: When the team as a whole or the company is being referenced use “We”. But when you are personally going to be responsible for making something happen, own it by using “I”.
4. “We have never worked with our partners before” vs. “We are excited to finally get to partner on this project. For years we have been on the lookout for the perfect project to collaborate on because our processes and company values are so complimentary. We have every reason to believe that this will be the first of many successful partnership projects.”
5. In Q & A, never say “As I said in my presentation”. This implies that the panel member is an idiot for not listening. Just jump in and use the time to go into more detail on the topic.