Want To Sound More Confident? Say “Thank You”!

Do you say “sorry” a lot, even when you don’t mean it?

Like, if you’re a few minutes late to your tennis practice, you say “sorry” to your coach. Or if you miss a question in a meeting, you say “sorry” to your colleagues.

Saying “sorry” too often can make you sound less confident. It might seem as if you’re not sure of yourself. It could also appear as though you don’t know what you’re doing. 

So, what can you do instead?

Try saying “thank you” instead.

I understand this may seem weird at first. However, it truly has the potential to boost your confidence. It can also help you appear more in command of the situation.

Let’s look at some examples

• You’re late to a meeting. Say, “Thank you for waiting for me” instead of, “Sorry I’m late.”
• You can’t help with something. Try, “Thank you for asking. I’ll work on solving the problem and inform you as soon as I can.” This approach is better than simply stating, “Sorry I have absolutely no idea.“
• You need to ask a question. Ask, “Is this a good time for a quick question?” instead of saying, “I’m sorry to bother you.“
• You need to reschedule a meeting. Say, “Can we find another suitable time?” instead of, “Sorry, I can’t come to the meeting.“

Of course, there are still times when it’s appropriate to say “sorry.” For example, if you bump into someone in the corridor.

But in general, try to limit your use of “sorry” and use “thank you” instead.

You might be surprised at how much more confident you sound!