Page 187 - Free Yourself From

170 It’s Not a Glass Ceiling, It’s a Sticky Floor

Being Direct

1. Avoid “I think.” Instead, state your opinion in simple, active
sentences, and follow it up with your rationale.
2. Own your message. Once you express a need or an opinion,
let it stand. Don’t add on a buffer like, “I suppose,” or “What do
you think?”
3. Avoid turning statements into questions. It makes you sound
tentative and makes the listener more likely to doubt you.

Being Subtle

There may be times when you need to draw out the perspective of
others, explore possibilities, or ensure that other people feel
ownership of some process. All of these are reasons to be more
subtle and collaborative. Here are some examples of questions
that get your point across clearly but softly.

1. It doesn’t seem like we are getting very far in this meeting.
What do you say we table this conversation until next week?
2. I’m concerned this contract does not have enough detail. What
do the rest of you think?
3. If you were to do this project over again, how would you
approach it differently?

Direct Does Not Mean Blunt

A word of caution: While being direct is good in the right instances,
some people can unknowingly go overboard. Being overly direct
puts others in a defensive mode or they simply will not respond to