What NOT to say during a meeting or discussion at work

I previously shared some tips for how to have a hard conversation. While meeting preparation, listening, and tone matter, words and phrases can ALSO make or break the outcome. Here are some tips! The first one is to not assume that your viewpoint is obvious. Using words like “obviously” and “clearly” can push the wrong buttons if the other person doesn’t already understand where you are coming from. Don’t exaggerate. Saying “always, never, every body, nobody” will discredit your viewpoint immediately and it invites your colleague to make a counter argument to prove otherwise. “It’s my way or the highway” is a thing of the past. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, so avoid the word “should” or definitive phrases about what you think the solution should be. Don’t challenge someone’s integrity or character. Labelling something is “wrong”, “unethical” or “unprofessional”, as well as playing the “blame game” will put that team member on the defensive. Remember, most people are passionate about what they do and take pride in their work, so proposing an alternative way of doing something that could overcome what you BELIEVE to be the incorrect way of doing business may be a better approach. Lastly, telling someone that “it’s not personal”, leads to the idea that it IS personal. Sure, some things in business are just that – business, but we can’t skirt around the fact that there is a human element that exists. Telling each other how to feel usually doesn’t result in everybody walking away happy, but if we do our best to be courteous and conscious in our delivery – keeping the team’s best interest at heart, there is a better chance of the message being received with minimal offense. Sometimes it’s difficult to hold back and choose your words carefully, but at the end of the day, your team will recognize your effort in the way that you approach a topic, and hopefully will follow suit and make your extra effort all worth it, creating a more cohesive team with stronger alignment. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/greenmountainlioncorp/ Facebook: facebook.com/grnmtnlion Twitter: twitter.com/GrnMtnLion Instagram: instagram.com/greenmountainlion/