View from the Street: The hidden language of doubt – Why we should cut out weak words
Published
Frank O’Donnell
“If I’m being honest, I think we might want to consider adjusting our approach because it sort of seems like things aren’t working as well as we’d hoped. Basically, there’s probably room for improvement, and hopefully, with a few small changes, we might be able to move faster. I’m not an expert, but it seems like we should try to be a little more to the point.”
We tell ourselves that productivity needs to rise, that meetings need to be more efficient and communication skills are a prerequisite for success.
And yet, we are in an epidemic of linguistic clutter. A word salad with extra dressing.
If you think the opening paragraph is extreme, then just listen to a radio interview or pay close attention in your next meeting. It’s everywhere. Every word should matter, but they don’t.
We undermine ourselves without even realising. We fill our speech with weak words – qualifiers, redundant adverbs, hesitation indicators — that drain impact, undermine conviction, obscure our message, and make our content forgettable.
And it means we use twice as many words – and speak for twice as long – to say what we want to.
Instead of: “I think we should move forward with this idea.” Just say: “We should move forward with this idea.”
Instead of: “I believe this is the right decision.” Drop “I believe.” If you’re saying it, you already believe it.
“It’s absolutely essential that we act now.”. Essential already means necessary. “Absolutely” adds no value.
Then there are the empty phrases that waste time.
- “To be honest with you…” Why wouldn’t you be honest?
- “At the end of the day…” If it adds nothing, cut it.
- “What I’d like to say is…” Just say it.
These small words and phrases might seem harmless, human even. In tiny doses they are.
But their cumulative effect is significant: they erode confidence and reduce credibility. Often, they make our audience switch off and hear nothing.
Hedging phrases like “I think,” “sort of,” “it’s just my opinion,” are comfort blankets that make statements feel safer and less open to challenge. But in business, where clarity, decisiveness, and confidence drive outcomes, it dilutes gravitas.
‘Short sounds confident’ is a mantra to keep in mind.
The habit of hedging often starts early in our careers. In meetings, we use softeners to avoid sounding too bold. In emails, we pepper messages with “Sorry to bother you”, “just checking in” or “I was wondering if we might…” to avoid seeming too direct. (This is also why we adorn our written content with exclamation marks and emojis).
Over time, these habits embed themselves in the way we speak and write, even when we reach leadership positions.
And this is reinforced when we listen to our politicians. Using 50 words where ten will do is a practice many specialise in, including Scotland’s first minister John Swinney. This is one reason why some describe him as “managerial”.
If hedging is the enemy of impact, then cutting it out is one of the fastest ways to build presence. The change isn’t just professional — it’s personal. The shift from tentative to authoritative speech can transform how we see ourselves. It’s a shift from cautious to compelling, from uncertain to clear.
The good news? It’s fixable.
Breaking free from overstuffed sentences can be done with conscious effort. It starts with awareness and identifying the words and phrases that compromise messages. It requires discipline: choosing strong, direct language over comfortable, tentative expressions. Most importantly, it demands practice.
At Charlotte Street Partners, we work with business leaders to sharpen their communication skills, helping them project authority and eliminate weak language. Our impact and gravitas training is built around three core principles:
- Precision – Say exactly what you mean. Avoid qualifiers like “quite,” “a little,”or “sort of.” Swap vague phrases for direct statements.
- Confidence – Trust your own voice. If you’ve done the work, own your message. Drop phrases like “I believe” or “I feel”.
- Presence – Deliver with authority. Words alone aren’t enough. Tone, body language, and pacing all play a role.
The shift is simple but powerful. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. And stop apologising for it.