Credibility is a finicky thing. Building it is tough, and it gets even trickier if you are prone to use words and phrases that diminish your voice. Hedge Words, Authority Weakeners, Redundant Words, or Hesitation Signals are weak words that diminish credibility.

• Hedge Words: Maybe, Possibly, Sort of…
• Authority Weakeners: If that makes sense, If you know what I mean…
• Redundant Words: Basically, To be honest
• Hesitation Words: I guess, I think, I’ll try to…

Learning: Clarity is key. If there is a reason you are using these words or phrases, state the reason or try not to use them.

Ok, this is not about how to Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss at work. I barely know what that means. But we do live in a world where John Oliver can get the Putekeke to win New Zealand’s Bird of the Century, and the word ‘Rizz’ won the 2023 Oxford Word of the Year. It’s a strange, engaging, and sometimes funny world. It’s time to feel sorry for Grammarly because it threw up all over this post.

Learning: The best way to look at these kinds of events/changes is through the eyes of a curious child. If you can do that, and then you realize you are actually an adult – you can’t help but be amused (and more curious).

References and Resources

With a boost from John Oliver, pūteketeke soars to first in New Zealand bird contest by Joe Hernandez/NPR; Type: Article

Rizz, the word of the year, explained by Constance Grady/Vox; Type: Article

Gen Z is not a Monolith by the Marketoonist; Type: Cartoon/Article

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Does this resonate with you? Do you envision a world where ‘Rizz,’ ‘Mid,’ and ‘Lit’ are commonly used in the office? If so, we’d love to hear from you.