The Silent Saboteur: Why 'Just' Holds Back Your Leadership Impact

In the fast-paced world of corporate and non-profit leadership, effective communication is paramount. Every message sent, whether an email to team members or a memo to stakeholders, reflects not only the content but also the confidence and authority of the sender. One often overlooked aspect of communication that can significantly impact perception is the casual yet insidious word "just." Its seemingly innocuous presence can subtly communicate lack of confidence, diminish authority, and detract from the clarity and persuasiveness of your message. I want to explore ten compelling reasons why eliminating the word "just" from your written communication arsenal can elevate your leadership presence and enhance your ability to engage and inspire others.

Writing for PsychologyToday.com, Jack Schafer Ph.D., a behavioral analyst for the FBI, and the author of The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Influencing, Attracting, and Winning People Over had this to say:

"...the word just is a minimizing word. When liars want to rationalize their behaviors, they minimize their activities. A simple way to minimize an activity is to use the word just. For example, "I was just going about my business" or "I just went to the store to buy something." These utterances suggest the speakers had other intentions and wanted to give the illusion that they were engaged in normal activities."

While not everyone using the word "just" is trying to be dishonest, your audience may unintentionally perceive weakness or doubt in your words, and sabotage your message.

10 Reasons To Eliminating 'Just'

Doubt and Confidence: The word "Just" subtly communicates uncertainty, potentially undermining the readers perception of confidence. Eliminating it fosters a more assured tone, enhancing your credibility and persuasiveness when writing to others.

Authority and Assertiveness: The presence of "just" weakens your authority, diminishing their assertiveness. Its removal strengthens your leadership presence and command, earning greater respect from the reader.

Clarity and Directness: "Just" unnecessarily qualifies statements, diluting their impact. Removing it ensures clarity and directness in communication, streamlining the message for better understanding.

Decisiveness and Ambiguity: The use of "just" may suggest indecision, causing ambiguity in the message. Its absence brings clarity and decisiveness, leaving no room for confusion. This can be particularly true when asking for help or seeking to secure buy-in.

Conciseness and Focus: "Just" can clutter sentences, detracting from the main point. Its removal promotes conciseness and focus, ensuring the message is easily comprehensible.

Significance and Urgency: Inclusion of "just" downplays the message's importance. Removing it emphasizes the statement's significance, conveying urgency to the reader.

Persuasion and Impact: Overuse of "just" weakens your message's persuasiveness, reducing its impact. Eliminating it makes the argument more compelling, increasing reader agreement or action.

Active Engagement: "Just" contributes to passive language, diminishing the message's impact. Its removal fosters active voice, making the communication more engaging and dynamic.

Professionalism and Formality: Excessive use of "just" compromises professionalism, especially in formal contexts. Its elimination enhances the message's professionalism, ensuring it is perceived as polished and authoritative.

Confidence Projection: By refraining from using "just," writers project greater confidence and self-assurance. This improves the reader's perception of the writer's competence and expertise, fostering trust and respect. Avoiding its use also communicates respect and confidence in your message's recipients and their willingness to buy in to your message.

Whether you're writing for fundraising and donor appeals, pitching a new project idea to co-workers, or writing marketing or sales copy, removing the word "just" as a qualifier will make your copy more impactful and effective.

Our words often have deeper meanings revealing our insecurities and attempts to deceive others. Words have power, and that is just the way it is. ~ Jack Schafer Ph.D

As leaders committed to continual growth and improvement, it's essential to pay attention to even the smallest nuances in our communication. By recognizing the impact of the word "just" and taking proactive steps to eliminate it from our written messages, we not only enhance our own confidence and authority but also elevate the effectiveness of our leadership. Embrace the power of intentional language and commit to communicating with clarity, conviction, and unwavering confidence in every interaction, inspiring those around you to do the same.