How to speak with more conviction
How to communicate with more conviction
One of the traits I admire most at work is when people communicate with conviction. It doesn’t mean they’re never wrong, but they show up with confidence and clarity. I've always wanted to communicate with more conviction, and to express my point of view strongly. Yet, I knew I often fell short in this regard. My voice lacked the strength that made others' statements resonate.
To figure out why, I audited my own communication and analyzed the way people I admired spoke. Here’s the one thing that made a huge difference: they minimized the use of qualifiers, while I relied on them heavily.
What Are Qualifiers?
Qualifiers are words or phrases that modify or limit the strength of a statement, making it more flexible or softening its impact. While they can be useful in some situations, overusing them weakens your message and diminishes conviction. Let’s dive into the different forms they take and how they show up in communication.
Part I: Common Types of Qualifiers
1. Intensifiers
When we want to emphasize a point, we instinctively add intensifiers, hoping to make our stance sound stronger. However, this can sometimes lead to overcompensation or appear as if we’re trying too hard.
Examples of intensifiers:
“Definitely”: “This definitely aligns with our goals.”
“Clearly”: “Clearly, we need to revise our strategy.”
“Undoubtedly”: “This is undoubtedly a key factor.”
The Problem: While these words are meant to project confidence, they can come across as forced or defensive when overused. True conviction comes from the statement itself, not the extra adjectives attached to it.
2. Limiters
On the flip side, we often use limiters to protect ourselves from being wrong or overstating a point. These limiters reduce the certainty of our statements, making them sound cautious or uncertain.
Examples of limiters:
“Mostly”: “The project was mostly successful.”
“Generally”: “We generally see positive feedback.”
“Usually”: “This approach usually yields good results.”
The Problem: Limiters can make your audience question your confidence or understanding of the topic. While they can be appropriate when you genuinely need to qualify a statement, using them habitually can dilute your message.
3. Minimizers
Minimizers soften the impact of a statement, making it sound less absolute. They can be valuable when you want to avoid sounding harsh, but using them too often undermines conviction.
Examples of minimizers:
“Somewhat”: “The results are somewhat encouraging.”
“Slightly”: “We are slightly behind schedule.”
“A bit”: “I’m a bit concerned about the timeline.”
The Problem: Constantly using minimizers makes it sound like you’re unsure of your own thoughts. This can erode trust and make it harder for your audience to fully buy into your perspective.
Part II: Why We Use Qualifiers
Why do we rely so much on qualifiers? It’s simple: we want to strike a balance. We aim to be assertive enough to make our point but cautious enough to avoid risk. However, when overused, qualifiers hinder our ability to communicate with conviction.
In communication, the ultimate goal is to persuade others and make them see your perspective. Ironically, qualifiers can signal hesitation, which undermines the very impact you’re trying to achieve.
Part III: Communicating with More Conviction
To communicate with more conviction, practice minimizing qualifiers and trusting your message. Here’s how:
Audit Your Language: Be aware of how often you use qualifiers. When writing or speaking, pause and review if those words are necessary or if the statement stands stronger without them.
State Your Point Clearly: Focus on what you want to convey and say it without embellishments. For example:
Instead of “We are generally on track,” say, “We are on track.”
Instead of “I’m a bit concerned about the timeline,” say, “I’m concerned about the timeline.”
Practice Speaking Without Qualifiers: It takes practice to unlearn these habits. Start by intentionally speaking without qualifiers in meetings or presentations and see how it feels. You might be surprised at how much more authoritative and confident you sound.
Conclusion: The Power of Conviction
Communicating with conviction doesn’t mean you’re immune to mistakes or that you should never qualify your statements. But minimizing qualifiers where possible signals confidence and helps you come across as more credible and impactful.
If you’re striving to communicate with more conviction, start by being mindful of your language. Cut out unnecessary qualifiers and stand behind your words. The difference it makes can be transformative.
