Speaking Powerfully ... The Language of Intention

“Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes

The language we choose in our everyday communication affects our energy, commit-ment, and responsibility. When we listen to the types of words that we choose to tell our stories or describe our schedules, we may be amazed at how often our language demonstrates victimhood rather than our level of commitment.

To demonstrate the power of language, one can visualize a stairway leading up to the second floor of a building. There are seven levels or steps on this stairway; each representing a different level of language accompanied with increasing power. Standing at the bottom level, one finds the first level of language – that of obligation. Phrases representative of this level include statements that begin with “I should, I have to, I must, I better.” This language diminishes motivation, increases dependency and operates from the position of “being a victim”.

The next three levels – options, preference, and passion – open the door to greater possibility and opportunity as one advances from being in the victim mud. At the option level one hears phrases such as “I might, I could, Maybe I will.” Continuing the focus on increasing power, one moves to the third level which is the language of preference. Words that demonstrate this upward movement are “I prefer to, I want to.” At the fourth level, one uses what is called the language of passion – “I’d love to, I can’t wait, I’m excited about” demonstrating more energy and commitment to the message being conveyed.

Language choices such as “I want, My dream is, or I desire” shift to the next level which is the language of possibility. With this clarity, one is ready to move to the sixth level which is that of developing a plan. Words like “I expect to or I plan to” demonstrate increasing intent until one reaches the top level which is the language of promise. At this level, one hears the highest level of commitment with words such as “I will, I promise, or I intend to”.

The key idea is to choose words with intention and make plans and promises with intention. While we will continue to have obligations in our life, we can choose to take on those obligations out of preference, passion, possibility, plan, or promise rather than the heaviness of obligation.

The goal is to use our language in a way that makes us more power-FUL rather than power-LESS, increasing our personal power and resourcefulness for accomplishing the things we most desire in our life.

How do you make your language more powerful? Consider these questions as a way to begin.

• What percentage of time do you currently spend in each of the levels of powerful speaking?
• What would you want the percentages to be?
• Develop a plan for how you can make your language more powerful?

By Karen Anderson, Vice President, Coaching School Results

OF INTEREST ...

Book of Interest: Steven Covey has revealed his latest work…The 8th Habit after defining his 7 Habits of effective leaders over a decade ago. In his 8th Habit, Dr. Covey pushes effective leaders to be truly great by…

• finding their voice and inspiring others to find theirs…by
• contributing and succeeding in the Knowledge Economy…by
• making leadership a choice versus a position…and by
• turning an organization's top goals into action

NOTABLE QUOTES

If you don't know where you're going,
it doesn't matter if your alarm doesn't go off in the morning.

There is a gold mine, in your goal mind!.

Purpose is the engine that powers our lives.

Focus always precedes success.

Seeds of Greatness By Denis Waitley

COACHING SCHOOL RESULTS believes that Strategies for Powerful Living and Leading accomplishes “great” and with a trusted and skillful coach, success is assured! Don’t miss an opportunity to have a complimentary coaching session at the 2005 NSDC Annual Conference.

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