12 Words and Phrases Intelligent People Never Say
People who boast about their IQ are losers.
Have you ever had a conversation and said something that you immediately regret?
Have you ever had a conversation and said something that you immediately regret?
It's
happened to the best of us at one point or another, but that's not
usually the norm for intelligent people who carefully select their words
before saying them out loud.
Unfortunately, since
there are so many of us who are inept in this area, I've put together 12
words and phrases that intelligent people would never say to someone
else so that you can strengthen your communication skills both in and
out of the office.
1. I'm, like, a smart person.
Sound familiar? That was President Donald Trump's response when asked why he didn't partake in daily press meetings.
Regardless
of your political beliefs, that was a phrase that you would never hear
an intelligent person say. When people boast constantly about how smart
they are, they lack self-confidence, feel inadequate, or are seeking
validation from others. Truly intelligent people don't brag about
themselves. They let others do the bragging for them.
Contrast
that statement from President Trump to Stephen Hawking when asked what
his I.Q. was, "I have no idea. People who boast about their I.Q. are
losers."
2. This is how I've always
Whether
if it's how you communicate with employees, promote your brand, or
manufacture products, we live in a world surrounded by rapidly-advancing
technology. Saying the above phrase shows that you're not willing to
embrace change, or you're just not willing to put in the effort to learn
something new.
Intelligent individuals don't resist
change. They embrace change because this new technology or
problem-solving approach could make their lives easier.
3. No one else is doing that, so neither will I.
Intelligent
people don't follow the status quo. And, they never back down from a
challenge (unless it's a worthless challenge; e.g., I can eat more pie
than you can!). If there's a task or responsibility that everyone is
unwilling to accept, it will be the smartest person in the room who rise
up and accept the challenge. As an added perk, they may develop new
skills along the way and will stand-out from the rest of the crowd.
4. That's not fair
I
hate to be the bearer of bad news, but life isn't fair. Saying a phrase
similar to "That's not fair! " makes you appear immature and whiny.
Instead
of complaining when things don't go their way, intelligent people want
to know exactly what went wrong (or why a decision-maker didn't approve
their project idea or offer them a promotion) so that they can make the
proper adjustments in order to prevent future mistakes or
misunderstandings.
In other words, they gather feedback so that they are aware of what areas they need to strengthen.
5. I could care less/Whatever.
People
utter these statements to convey their apathy or indifference. Some
people have a problem with "I could care less," because they believe
it's outdated and should either be "I don't care," or "I could not care
less," if they truly are indifferent.
My problem with these statements is that intelligent people, especially those who have a high Emotional Intelligence, do
care. They're empathetic and are in-tune with other people's emotions
and sensitivities. They enjoy problem-solving and talking to other
people in order to get to know more about them.
6. It is what is
There
may be a certain zen feeling with this statement, but an intelligent
person would never say it out loud since it translates to "I have
nothing to add to this situation," "I don't know how to fix this
problem."
Intelligent people, as I've already
mentioned, don't back down from a challenge. They use their
problem-solving skills and innovative thinking to face problems head-on.
And, they never accept something for what it is. They thrive on making
the world better. Can you even imagine Elon Musk saying, "It is what
is?"
7. That's not my fault.
Let's
say that you were a part of that disastrous Pepsi ad with Kendall
Jenner. Even if it had been minimal involvement, you still had a role to
play. As such, you also shoulder the blame. Granted, you probably
aren't experiencing the backlash like the director, head writers, and
executives at Pepsi are, but you were still involved.
My
point is that instead of pointing fingers and throwing others under the
bus, intelligent people hold themselves, and their teams, accountable.
There were hundreds of people involved with that Pepsi ad. At no point
did any of them stop and ask, "Is this really a good idea?" That's why
everyone involved is responsible for its failure.
8. "I wasn't asked to do that."
Intelligent
people don't have to wait to be asked a question. In fact, they
probably already have the answer before it's asked because they're
intuitive and always listening.
Instead of holding onto
that information though, they're more than willing to share it with
others so that everyone can successfully move forward.
9. I'm willing to pay
When
negotiating a business deal. An intelligent person would never blurt
out this phrase. The reason? It takes away their leverage. If they say
to a freelancer "I'm willing to pay you $40 per hour," and the
freelancer charges $30 per hour, who won the negotiation?
Intelligent people remain quiet until it's the right moment for them to speak up.
10. You look
Regardless
if you are referring to someone else's age, weight, or current physical
appearance, intelligent people wouldn't mention that they look tired,
pregnant, have lost weight, or that they look young for their age
because it could come across as condescending, or even rude.
Instead,
if someone looks tired and unkempt, don't be Captain Obvious. Ask them
if everything is ok and if they need any help with anything. If you
noticed that a co-worker lost weight, a simple and genuine compliment
like "You look great!" is the safer bet.
11. This has to be perfect.
There is no such thing as perfect - no matter how hard you try.
Intelligent
people know that they're not perfect or that their product/service will
be either. They work hard, do their best, and move on. Perfectionism
will only hold them back from constantly moving forward.
12. I will try.
Geoffrey James, author of Business Without the Bullsh*t: 49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know, sums this one up perfectly on Inc.com;
"I will try..."
There
are no three words in the English language that are more deceptive,
both to the person who says them and the person who hears them.
People
who say "I will try" have given themselves permission to fail. No
matter what happens, they can always claim that they "tried."
James
adds, "People who really and truly achieve goals never say 'I will
try.'" Instead of saying this phrase, "they always say 'I will do'
something or, better yet, 'I must do' whatever the task is."
As Yoda famously said in The Empire Strikes Back, "Do. Or do not. There is no try."
Published on: Apr 21, 2017
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