The Three Words That Undermine Every Point You Make.

Welcome to Public Speaking with Peter George. Do you want to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then stay tuned as we discuss public speaking tips, techniques, and tactics that help you increase your impact, influence, and income.

You can prepare for hours. You can know your material cold. You can walk into the room with a strong point of view and every intention of delivering it with confidence.

And then three little words sneak in and quietly gut everything you just said.

Just. Maybe. Sorry.

They sound harmless. Polite, even. But every time one of them slips into your sentence, you hand your audience a reason to take you less seriously. Let's look at each one.

"Just"

"I just wanted to share a quick thought." What does "just" tell the room? That your thought is small. Optional. Not worth the interruption. You have not even made your point yet, and you have already told them it does not matter much. Drop the word. "I want to share a thought" lands with ten times the weight, and it is one word shorter.

"Maybe"

"Maybe we could consider looking at this differently." "Maybe" signals that you are not sure, so no one else should be either. If you believe the idea, own it, such as: "Here is another way to look at this." Notice how the room leans in instead of drifting off.

"Sorry"

"Sorry, this might be a dumb question, but..." This one is the most damaging, because you are apologizing for participating. You are apologizing for existing in the conversation. And every time you do it, you train the audience to discount whatever comes next. Cut it entirely. No apology is needed.

Verbal Insurance Policies

Here is what is really going on with these three words. They are verbal insurance policies. We use them to soften a point in case someone pushes back, so we have a built-in escape hatch. But that insurance costs you your credibility every single time you cash it in. Your audience doesn't hear humility. They hear uncertainty. And uncertainty is contagious.

Confidence Is Not Arrogance

Now, this does not mean you speak with arrogance. Confidence and arrogance are not the same thing. Confidence says, "Here's what I think, and here's why." Arrogance says, "I'm right and you're wrong." One invites conversation. The other shuts it down. When you strip out just, maybe, and sorry from your speech, you are not becoming pushy. You are becoming clear.

Your Action Step

Here's your action step. In your next meeting, keep a simple tally on your notepad. Every time you catch yourself saying just, maybe, or sorry, make a mark. Do not judge it. Just count it. Awareness is 80 percent of the fix.

Remember, your ideas deserve the full weight of your voice. Stop giving your audience permission to dismiss them before you have even finished the sentence.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Public Speaking with Peter George. Are you ready to be calm, confident, and credible every time you speak in public? Then visit petergeorgepublicspeaking.com and let's make it happen. I'll see you next time.