The Power of Your Words

As a decision maker for an IT company, your opinions and ideas affect a lot more than just you. As you and your managers make decisions, those choices and thoughts trickle down through the entire company and, eventually, to your clients. It should come as no surprise that the words you speak, the tone you use and the manner in which you address people can have a huge impact on the quality of your work, productivity of co-workers, and overall, the atmosphere of your business.

 “I think I can.”

Do you find yourself using phrases such as “I can’t do this.” or “I’ll never get all of this work done.” on a regular basis? If so, you might be unknowingly ruining your chances of meeting the goal that you’re complaining about. Especially in an office setting, placing limitations on yourself can be part of the reason you’re not meeting your goals and deadlines.

Optimism can be a powerful tool. A positive state of mind can be the difference between reaching your goal or falling short. Many of you will remember the children’s book ‘The Little Engine that Could’, the story of a little train engine that is able to accomplish a task that larger engines couldn’t. Most of the time, your external world will reflect what you are thinking internally, so take advantage of this reality for your business.

Using Words to Inspire Your Team

Think about the way your employees, clients, prospects, vendors, and peers react toward you. Would you describe yourself as an influencer? Using charisma to influence the opinions of people is part of managing any type of business, and managed IT is no different.

The right words can bring change to your business. As a capable and positive speaker, your team will look to you for leadership and see you as a powerful individual, capable of providing proper reinforcement and taking the lead when needed. By thinking before you speak, you’ll be able to inspire those around you to work harder and increase the overall performance and productivity of your workplace.

A Few Things to Add to Your Work Vocabulary

With so many buzzwords and other industry-related phrases in our vocabulary, there is a real chance that you might lose the attention and support of your audience by overusing these sorts of words. Using positive terms can foster your employees, instead of alienating them. Here are some tips you can use to empower your speech:

• Instead of using negative words and phrases (i.e. “I can’t”, “I don’t”), try to use words with a positive connotation, such as “I can” or “I will.”
• Avoid absolutes, such as “complete” or “no-one.”
• Quit labeling things (especially yourself) as “bad” or “terrible.” Instead of saying you are bad at programming or communicating, just say “I haven’t really learned much about programming in the past,” or something of that nature.
• Ditch wishy-washy phrases like, “I’ll try,” and commit to saying something more absolute; “I will.”

With the right words, you can transmute problems into opportunities for your company. After all, that’s what problems are--opportunities to change something for the better. By mastering these skills, you’ll be a more powerful leader that your team will rally behind, and you’ll have more confidence in yourself.