Seven phrases that undermine leadership credibility

Executive overview

Certain everyday phrases signal a lack of confidence, self-awareness, or authority — often without the speaker realising it. Language is amplified in leadership contexts: small word choices shape how others perceive competence and trust.

Eliminating these seven phrases forces a shift toward intentional communication — where credibility is demonstrated through action and preparation, not hedging or permission-seeking.

The seven phrases to eliminate

1. "To be honest with you" — implies prior dishonesty; retroactively calls everything said before into question.
2. "Trust me" — commands trust instead of earning it; trustworthy people don't need to announce it.
3. "Sorry to bother you" — permission-seeking language; signals lack of presence before the conversation begins.
4. "Let me check and get back to you" — conveys unpreparedness; leaders are expected to have thought things through in advance.
5. "I'm not sure" — erodes certainty; buy-in requires transferring confidence, and this phrase does the opposite.
6. "Can I get your feedback?" — appropriate early in a career, but signals self-unawareness at senior levels; leaders are expected to know how they're performing.
7. "I haven't heard back from you" — passive framing; leadership is active, and waiting on others signals a misunderstanding of how senior people operate.