Watch your language…

…because words matter.

“I told her she needs to….”

“You should just….”

“They have to…”

“Dumbass…”

Your language reflects the culture you are building, and every leader has exactly the culture he or she deserves.

To change your culture, start with changing your language, including the language you use to talk to yourself…sooner or later, the way you talk to yourself seeps into the way you talk to your team.

Leaders driven by self-motivation are especially susceptible to resorting to self-demeaning language. It’s their go-to for taking the hill, finishing the push, or self-motivating to do something they loathe. Often rooted in a negative inner voice they learned as a child, it may work for the short-term but has long-term implications for self and others — namely, it just doesn’t inspire, it tires.

If you want a compliant culture, don’t change a thing. If you want an inspired, committed culture – start watching your language, and start learning a second language — the language which inspires. Stop need-ling and should-ing on yourself and others.

The language which inspires is rooted in love-to, not loathe-to. It’s rooted in belief of a ‘why’ way bigger than you, and in a ONEness for which all humans yearn. It’s language is OPUS-focused:

“I have a dream to…”

“I get to…”

“I want to…”

“I must and I will…”

“It’s the right thing to do…”

“This is why we’re here…”

“In the end, we’re doing this for each other…”

Hard labor you (and others) will disdain as you tire. OPUS you (and others) will sustain as you perspire.

Together we conform, or together we transform. You choose — your choices have consequences.

Want a better culture? Watch your language.

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