Let me start by saying this is not about gender pronouns. This is about leadership, independent of ideology.
The host of a popular financial radio talk show recently fielded a question about how newly married couples should balance the ownership of their respective resources when their existing savings, investments, and income are not balanced. While answering, the host discussed the joint accounts in their own marriage, emphasizing words like “we,” “our,” and “ours.” The key question back to the caller was, “Do you hear the pronouns I’m using?”
That interaction reminded me how important pronoun usage is in a leadership context.
🔵 When your team members have personal accomplishments, does your announcement have more “I” or more “they/he/she”?
🔵 When your team meets or exceeds a goal, do you use more “we” or “they”?
🔵 When your team fails to meet a goal, do you use more “they,” “we,” or “I”?
And here’s a tricky one.
🔵 When you’re stating a position or opinion to be held for your team, do you claim that “we believe” and “we want”? Or do you claim that “I believe” or “I want”? And does it make a difference whether you’re speaking to your team about your opinion, or whether you’re speaking about your team’s opinion to someone else?
As a leader, sometimes it’s the tiniest of words that convey a surprisingly powerful message.
If you’d like to explore these ideas more and see how your words can better promote unity among your team, visit stevedwire.com/talk and let’s have a conversation.
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