Quick answers
- How do you sound confident in meetings?
- Reduce hedging, use direct statements, avoid filler.
Key takeaways
- Reduce hedging: 'I think' → 'I suggest.'
- Use direct statements.
- Speak at a steady pace.
Instead of → Say
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| I think maybe we could | I suggest we [X]. Here's why. |
| I'm not sure but | Based on [experience/data], [conclusion]. |
| It might be a good idea | I recommend [X]. That would address [concern]. |
Example dialogue
You: I recommend we ship the core flow first. That gets us to market faster and we can add the edge cases in the patch. Thoughts?
Common mistakes
- Over-hedging.
- Filler words.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I sound more confident?
- Reduce hedging, use direct language, speak clearly.
- What words make me sound less confident?
- Excessive 'maybe,' 'I think,' 'kind of,' 'probably.' Use them sparingly.
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