You SHOULD Listen To This Episode

‘Should’ is a word most of us don’t like hearing so much—especially when used to give us advice, like “Oh, you SHOULD hire employees.”

And it can be downright deadly in client conversations.

That’s why Jonathan and I make the case for eliminating “should” from our vocabulary:

Why the word is both insidious and judgmental—and how it can easily become manipulative.

What happens—especially to go-to, high visibility authorities—with those who consistently use ‘should’ in their client interactions (and what to say instead).

How to use your point of view as an alternative to ‘should’ conversations or directives.

Dealing with the most common ‘shoulds’ you’re likely to hear as you build your expertise business.

The difference between saying ‘should’ to or about yourself and using it with other people.

Quotables

“Should is a radioactive word for me. It’s a sign…that I’m making massive assumptions about them, what they should do, what they want.”—JS

“It’s way too easy to pontificate vs. actually help your client change whatever situation it is you’ve been hired to fix.”—RM

“Stop should-ing on people.”—JS

“We all know there’s nuance—no two situations, no two people, no two clients are ever exactly the same.”—RM

“Berklee teachers would never say that music has rules. They would say that different styles have different style practices.”—JS

“If you’re the type of person who responds to judgment and potential shaming…’should’ can make you start to question your own logic and thought process.”—RM

“When someone gives you tactical ‘should’ advice, you can just nod and smile and ignore them.”—JS

“The word ‘should’ is so insidious, cuz it’s like you’re trying to get into my brain and tell me what to do.”—RM