Purchasing Coach: Advent Window 3: Words

25 unconventional coaching and facilitation tools to surprise and delight

Window 3: Words (because they have power)

Level of unconventionalness out of 10 = 3 (because it's harder to do than we think)

Benefits: Ensuring that your words don't have a negative or unintended impact on yourself or your readers/listeners. Improved motivation, communication, relationships, influence. Reduced conflict and misunderstanding.

Uses: Any and all communication, and motivating yourself.

Participants: Everyone

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Process to use for yourself:

• Notice when you're not motivated or even demotivated about doing something.
• Consider the words you're using to describe the current situation, the solution or the desired outcome.
• Brainstorm alternate words and explore words that might inspire action or provide an alternate more positive reaction.
• Replace the unresourceful word with the more resourceful one (this more work-like post on exchanging 'solutions' with 'answers' may shed some light too).
• Notice what you notice. 

Festive Example:

Wishing people a 'Merry Christmas' might not feel right for you for a variety of reasons. Which may result in people picking up you're not really very sincere when you say it.

To find a more sincere alternative:

• The first option is to swap out the word merry. Words might include happy, sparkly, great, splendid, fabulous, awesome, special, cosy, dreamy, festive, productive, social, restful and so on. (I sometimes say "wishing you the Christmas you'd wish for"). 
• Play around with these words and notice the impact each has on your ability to say them and mean it.
• The second option is to swap out the word Christmas. Words might include holiday, break, festive break, time with your family, and so on.
• The third option is to swap them both around.     

When I was 'playing' around with some letters I discovered that on it's own GREAT felt - well great. until I read it out loud:

and yet once I exchanged great with FABULOUS that was simply fab!

What words do you use that just don't resonate for you, and how might they be changed to make it a more enjoyable exchange for you and the other person?

Wishing you all a fabulous festive break when it comes.


Alison Smith

Unlocking procurement potential - using conventional and unconventional tools
Procurement and Business Speaker, Coach, Trainer, & Facilitator
alison@alisonsmith.eu +44 (0)7770 538159

Earlier in the year I applied some of the unconventional tools shared in this series of advent posts to common procurement challenges - more here.