PowerPhrases 101 15
“I want him to calm down.” My guess also is that you would
choose words that have the opposite effect. For example, you
might want to say the words “calm down,” which would inflame
him even more. If your words are likely to get different results
from the ones you seek, they are not PowerPhrases!
PowerPhrases Say What You Mean
What do you really mean? Have you ever told someone off in
the heat of the moment and later gone back and apologized by
saying, “I didn’t really mean that”? You THOUGHT you
meant it, but when you settled down, you realized that you were
reacting to the moment, and not speaking from who you really
are. Or have you ever said everything was fine, when, in fact,
everything was anything but fine? Clear communication
requires clarity within yourself before you can be clear with
anyone else. Ask yourself, what do I really mean here?
Eric asked himself how he felt when I was talking to him.
That’s where he found the words to tell me that I sounded con-
descending.
PowerPhrases Mean What You Say
Are you willing to back your words up with action? Do you
really mean what you say? If you say “I need orders by 9:00 a.m.
to have them processed by 5:00 p.m.,” and someone gives you
an order at 11:00 a.m., do you get it processed anyway? If you
say you will call, do you? Don’t kid yourself—no one will take
your words seriously unless you do!