Language is powerful – there's no doubt about it. Words can mark our social belonging, render difficult decisions with calculated effects and simply demonstrate power or one's drive to success. Entrepreneurs who don't care about the language they're using are perceived as equally careless about other aspects of their entrepreneurship, including the most important ones. Here are 6 words that you'll never hear uttered by entrepreneurs who have potential for great success.
Never
We've all heard the ‘never say never' phrase, but for businessmen this is more than just a saying. ‘Never' is a word that means a lack of possibility and creative thinking allowing entrepreneurs to come up with a solution. Businessmen who use ‘never' won't be able to realize their full potential, because of their mental constraints that hold them firmly in place. In short, they won't become entrepreneurs others will be likely to follow.
Between
This is a tricky word, which pops up during negotiations. A smart entrepreneur will instantly note that by saying things like ‘I can do it for between 20,000 and 25,000' or ‘I'd like to start preparing for this task between May 1 and 15', they will concede the ground and lose the possibility of further negotiation. Moreover, the entrepreneur won't get anything in return for all the effort invested in the previous negation process.
Maybe
Entrepreneurs who hesitate won't lead their company to success in today's highly competitive market. To make it in business, one needs to be ready to deal with the unknowns and not allow self-doubt creep into their behavior. Confidence is crucial – it's a feature that not only pushes the business forward, but also makes others follow and believe in your vision. ‘Maybe' is not an option.
Can't
Just like ‘never', ‘can't' is another word that communicates a fear of doing something new, with an underlying assumption that one is simply incapable of doing it. It takes courage to be a successful entrepreneur and an excuse like that is simply self-limiting. When taking an action or formulating a new pursuit, successful entrepreneurs never give up and let themselves be driven away by negative thoughts.
Honestly
‘Honestly' is a word used to convey one's intention of being clear and straightforward. The problem is that this kind of message shouldn't be signaled – this quality should be part of all communications. An entrepreneur who uses ‘honestly' might lose in the eyes of others – especially when the word is used to push a specific agenda.
Obvious
Nothing is obvious, especially not something related directly to the tasks delegated to team members. A smart entrepreneur will know that it's better to avoid words like ‘obvious' or ‘self-explanatory' – employees won't feel ashamed to come forward with questions, and managers won't have to clean up the mess and spend additional funds for correcting mistakes made due to unclear instructions or poor explanation.
Words might be just words, but they mean a lot – they show others our personality, drive to success and determination to achieve something more than average. They can empower us to become who we dream of – for instance, successful entrepreneurs.
—
Monique Craig is an Australian blogger and marketing specialist who works for Oneflare, an online marketplace which connects customers with local service providers.