Imagine if you just didn’t say “just”. Could something so simple make a difference?
Yesterday, a colleague of mine, Carol, shared a story with me that was powerful and very helpful. When I thanked her, her response was, “Oh I am just passing on what I got from Joe.” You have probably used a response like this or heard it; it is a common response.
Consider what really happened. While attempting to credit the source, she didn’t receive the compliment; she devalued her efforts and the knowledge. Internally, her self-esteem also took a sub-conscious hit. Don’t get me wrong, crediting your source is admirable.
What if she said, “it is an honor to be able to share what I learned from Joe.”? That’s it; replace “I’m just” with “It is an honor”.
Now, the compliment is received, the efforts and the knowledge are valued and the source is still credited. Internally, her self-esteem grows.
So, what do you think would happen if you just didn’t say “Just”?
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bob Burg, Bonnie J Preston. Bonnie J Preston said: RT @BobBurg: Great, quick post by @EdieGalley regarding the potential self-harm of the word "just." http://bit.ly/hEwQzR [...]