It’s the word ‘like’, actually. And it’s hurting your career.
Here’s why:
Overusing ‘like’ can result in vagueness, imprecision and a lack of concise expression.
When you rely on it as a crutch or a filler in conversation, you’re doing more harm than good.
It undermines confidence and authority, making you appear uncertain, hesitant and lacking in conviction.
‘Like’ impedes professional growth.
You’ll be taken less seriously by other generations (senior staff) with varying degrees of patience for casual conversation.
It hampers ‘buy-in’.
You may have an impressive idea or solution, but if you’re too informal in your persuasion, good luck convincing your peers and boss.
Here’s how to break this habit.
Be Mindful of Your Speech: Awareness is the first step in making positive changes.
Practice Active Listening: Engage in active listening during conversations.
Expand Your Vocabulary: Read. Not social media. Books, articles and professional publications.
Use Proper Grammar: Formal language is generally more precise and structured.
Prepare and Rehearse: Before important meetings or presentations, prepare and rehearse what you want to say.
Model Professional Behavior: Watch successful speakers and adopt similar practices.
You don’t have to speak like a robot. You can still be yourself. But if you want to be taken seriously and succeed in your role, you MUST start speaking like a leader.
Act the part. Be the part.
Like it or not.
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