What is the most disempowering word in the English language?

[Danny White]

The Management Team of our company is doing a retreat soon, and the moderator of it is having us do some exercises leading up to it.

One of them was asking us to answer the question: "What is the most disempowering word in the English language?"

I answered "maybe" and was told that I was "close" but not what he was thinking of.

Any suggestions?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Maybe not.

 

[big dog cowboy]

"What is the most disempowering word in the English language?"

Bob???

 

[bbgun]

"loser" (no offense to you losers)

 

[big dog cowboy]

Ok ok how about "try" or "wish" is that better?

 

[Signals]

No?

 

[rkell87]

The Management Team of our company is doing a retreat soon, and the moderator of it is having us do some exercises leading up to it.

One of them was asking us to answer the question: "What is the most disempowering word in the English language?"

I answered "maybe" and was told that I was "close" but not what he was thinking of.

Any suggestions?

can't?

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Yo

















mama.

 

[rkell87]

lol maybe disempowering is the answer lol

 

[SaltwaterServr]

The Management Team of our company is doing a retreat soon, and the moderator of it is having us do some exercises leading up to it.

One of them was asking us to answer the question: "What is the most disempowering word in the English language?"

I answered "maybe" and was told that I was "close" but not what he was thinking of.

Any suggestions?

Honestly.

Subconsciously it produces massive barricades in a person's mind because it infers the speaker is otherwise not to be trusted in what they say.

What I think most people mean to say is "candidly" as in straightforward, without any hidden or secondary meanings. Picked that up from Mr. Jerry Jones himself.

 

[TheCount]

"To be honest"

 

[Danny White]

Honestly.

Subconsciously it produces massive barricades in a person's mind because it infers the speaker is otherwise not to be trusted in what they say.

What I think most people mean to say is "candidly" as in straightforward, without any hidden or secondary meanings. Picked that up from Mr. Jerry Jones himself.

That's a great observation.

My company writes fundraising letters, and we tell our writers to never use phrases like "honestly" or "to tell you the truth" for just that reason... it implies that you weren't telling them the truth prior to that, or that you're trying to hide something.


I think "wish" and "try" are also really good suggestions. Although, personally, I like wish.

 

[Viper]

google says... wish

It conveys the inability to get what you want.

 

[bbgun]

That's a great observation.

My company writes fundraising letters, and we tell our writers to never use phrases like "honestly" or "to tell you the truth" for just that reason... it implies that you weren't telling them the truth prior to that, or that you're trying to hide something.


I think "wish" and "try" are also really good suggestions. Although, personally, I like wish.

In McLean, perhaps?

 

[Danny White]

google says... wish

It conveys the inability to get what you want.

I read that as well.

I understand the thought, but "wish" is so commonly used in place of "want" or "desire" I don't really see it as a disempowering word... much less the most disempowering word.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Help.

 

[SultanOfSix]

Honestly.

Subconsciously it produces massive barricades in a person's mind because it infers the speaker is otherwise not to be trusted in what they say.

What I think most people mean to say is "candidly" as in straightforward, without any hidden or secondary meanings. Picked that up from Mr. Jerry Jones himself.

Or, perhaps it reinforces the honesty. I mean, how would you know that it does such a thing "subconsciously" in people?

Semantics is typically determined by context, verbal or otherwise.

It's why when someone say "that was cold", it could refer to an arctic blast, or a derogatory comment.

Perhaps is your word...maybe.

 

[CliffnDallas]

Love.

 

[DasTex]

Try....

Yoda said in Star Wars - "Do or do not, there is no try" - or something along those lines

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Or, perhaps it reinforces the honesty. I mean, how would you know that it does such a thing "subconsciously" in people?

You can test brain wave patterns with a series of word associations. There are also MRI results showing changes in brain electrical charges when the word "honestly" is used in place of the word the author should have used to convey his meaning.