Sally ZimneyFounder & CEO, Be Moved by Sally Z

Speaking PSA - You don't need to say these words! #short

31 May 2023 · 1 min

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In this brief public‑speaking PSA, the speaker recounts attending a conference where a presenter repeatedly prefaced statements with hedging phrases such as “in my opinion” or “this is just me.” The speaker argues that such qualifiers are unnecessary and actually diminish the presenter’s authority. The core advice is to own one’s perspective confidently, present opinions directly, and treat the delivery as a gift to the audience rather than a tentative offering. By eliminating soft‑ening language, speakers can project strength and maintain credibility.

Chapters

I was at a conference last week and it was great. It was great. And one of the speakers kept saying, "Now, in my opinion, this is just me," kind of pre-softening and giving the audience an out. And it just wasn't necessary. It stood out to me as a really simple thing to make sure that you all don't do. You don't need it. You don't need it. It undercuts your authority. So by standing up there, everybody knows this is your opinion. This is you. This is just from your perspective, right? So your job once you're up there is to own that moment with strength and confidence and to offer it to us as a gift.