The last time we talked (AKA during the last newsletter) we discussed taking note of those missed opportunities where we felt we missed our chance to say the perfect thing at the perfect time. You now know that no experience or conversation is wasted because you can keep track of those perfect responses to be used later.
Now that you know the benefit of keeping track of those comebacks that come after conversations are over or the perfect moment to deliver them has passed, here’s the piece that will take your future satisfaction to the level of the subline: practice delivering those one liners, zingers, and comebacks.
Remember John from the last newsletter? The guy who made you feel small and silly during the recent development meeting? Since then, you’ve been keeping track of all of the great ways you can professionally tell him to stay in his lane. If you’re like me, you’re keeping track of all of the ways you can professionally tell him to kiss it. Now, I want you to focus on how you’ll tell him.
You might be thinking that you’ve already taken the time to write down the words you might say the next time you come across him and think that’s enough. Sure, it’s better than not preparing at all but I also want you to realize that it is never a waste of time to prepare yourself to express yourself well and comfortably and confidently.
Practice is the key to the comfort and comfort is the key to the confidence. The beauty of using this technique is that you will not just have the words, you will have the confidence that comes from having spoken to words before, and practiced and altered, and tweaked the volume and tenor and facial expressions that go with the words. Yes, I’m talking about going back to your middle school days where you stood in front of the mirror and practiced what you were going to say to Jennie or Janelle or Jamal or Johnnie.
This is all important because so often what leaves us incapable of speaking effectively in situations is that we are stunned and caught off guard by the audacity, or the unfairness or unprofessionalism of the other person’s behavior in that moment so you're at a disadvantage. What you're doing when you take my advice is making sure that doesn't happen again. The experience may not be exactly the same, the words may not be exactly the same and the person may not be the same but that’s fine because you’re also not the same. You’re a person who has prepared to speak up for yourself and doing so is more muscle memory now than that first time you walked away thinking, “I wish I had said that.”