In the May issue of Customer Communicator, the newsletter for frontline reps, the editors encourage reps to remove negative language from their conversations with customers and coworkers. The reason, they say, is based on neuroscience.
Experiments show that painful or negative words release stress and anxiety-inducing hormones. On the other hand, using positive language can help to reduce conflict, improve communication, teamwork, and morale. Even bad news can be softened by the use of positive language.
It’s as simple as the difference between “can’t” and “can” or “problem” and “solution.”
Here are five suggestions for replacing negative words with positive words:
| This phrase | Could be replaced with |
|---|---|
| I can’t | Let me look into that for you |
| No problem | Definitely or certainly |
| Can’t complain | Everything is going well thanks |
| That’s not our policy | Let me share what we can do |
| You can’t | You may |
More tips for stamping out negative language appear in the May issue of Customer Communicator, the newsletter for frontline reps.