Award-Winning Customer Service: 101 Ways to Guarantee Great Performance

28. Zap Zapper Words from Your Vocabulary

You have heard them. You have most likely said them. Those words—usually small, seemingly insignificant words—that zap the energy right out of you. Those words that kill a person’s ambition, creativity, or even hope. Read the list below, very carefully, and make sure you rid your vocabulary of these zapper words and phrases.

Performance Prompts

Try to never ever say:

• No.

• I can’t.

• That won’t work.

• It’s too hard.

• We could never do that.

• We’ve tried that before.

• I don’t have time.

• I’m too busy.

• We better not.

• You don’t understand.

• You can’t do that.

• We don’t want to change things.

• Sounds good, but. . . .

When This Happens ...

You listened to a presentation by your coworker, Ray, about a new product he developed. ...