Accentuate the Positive!

“They seem to be charmed by my Southern accent.” ~Actress Cleo Moore

A very wise Southern Belle once told me that you can get away with saying anything about anyone by tacking the phrase, “Bless your heart” on the end. For example, “You just must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, bless your heart!” could translate to “You are being such a [insert favorite expletive here].”

Now, I’m not suggesting that your interview technique should literally include frequent use of “bless your heart,” but it is an interesting illustration of the power of positive language over negative. It is a subtle thing, and one that your listener may not even notice overtly, but training yourself away from negative words can make your written and spoken communications sound brighter, more enthusiastic and more constructive.

Some examples: “I don’t know anything about tax law, “ vs. “I am looking forward to learning about tax law.” OR “I hate potatoes,” vs. “I prefer rice as a side dish” OR “This building is so ugly,” vs. “There is some real potential for renovation here!”

Some words to train yourself away from:
No, Not, any word with n’t
Negative adjectives, like bad, ugly, horrible, etc.
Negative verbs like hate, dislike, oppose, fight, etc.

Try it sometime! Whether it’s in a cover letter, interview, networking situation, negotiation, professional meeting or even an argument with a friend, you’ll see that it works like magic. And if you find it too challenging to manage, then bless your heart.