Shanli Liu, CPA, CTP, shares three ways to sound more confident when speaking. Replace filler words like "um" with silence. Speak with a steady tone, like you're saying "pass the salt." Swap tentative phrases like "does that make sense?" for stronger ones like "what are your thoughts?"
How to respond with confidence. Number 1, don't start your sentence with a filler word like, um, we gotta stop that. I know you don't mean to, but you are tanking your sentence before you even get it out. Instead, let your breath be the first word that you say. So just in, out, and then respond. You will always say so much more with silence than you ever can with words. Number 2, use a tone like you're asking somebody to pass the salt. You don't say, can you pass the salt? As if you don't know what it is. You say, can you pass the salt? The same way when you ask a question, eliminate the uncertainty from your voice when you use that tone. So instead of, I can get it to you by Monday, I can get it to you by Monday. And number 3, use more confident phrases. Instead of, does that make sense? Say, what are your thoughts? Rather than, I think so, I believe so, I'm fairly certain. And instead of, I'm not sure, say, I haven't run across that yet. And that's how to respond with confidence. Let's try that. Follow me.
