This month’s guest post is from Neen James, whose practical strategies on increasing focus and paying attention, has helped both organizations and individuals alike.
Meeting professionals understand everything begins with attention. Attention is all about connection. Words connect us, and when the right words are used, connections are deepened.
In the busy lives of our attendees, production teams and property staff we need to be able to quickly get people’s attention … and keep it!
Here are 5 ways to change attention – focus on the words you use and consider a few replacements for old, cliché, cheap phrases and words that don’t serve you and build your strong personal brand as a meeting professional.
1. Remove ‘but’– No one believes what you say before but, only the words you use after it. Don’t replace it with ‘however’; simply make your point and stop talking. Eliminate your but.
2. Replace ‘problem’with challenge – if you ever say to someone ‘you know what your problem is?’ … I bet they don’t want to listen! Problem is a negative word, use challenge or opportunity instead for a positive spin on a negative word and the team around you is more likely to help.
3. Stop ‘shoulding’on people. When someone says ‘you know what you should do?’ … do you listen? Maybe not? Replace ‘should’ with ‘would you consider?’ It’s more inclusive language and has a positive impact on your listener… and it gets their buy in quicker if you need immediate help.
4. Stop saying ‘take it to the next level’–it is an overused cliché – get more creative with your words i.e. accelerate results, create progress, or improve performance – sound even stronger to your client.
5. Eliminate ‘outside the box’– what a silly phrase. I am tiny; I could fit in a box, and this phrase always makes me giggle. Use words like creative, innovative, ground breaking… and please avoid this overused phrase.
To make more impact as a meeting professional consider the language you are using and choose positive words that will have a greater impact on your client, your audience, the production team, the hotel staff and even the people you share your home life with.
Change your words; change the world!
What words or phrases drive you crazy at your events?
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