Why to avoid using the word just in emails

The most dangerous four-letter word for your career? It's not lazy. It's not weak. It's "just". ⸻ "I'm just a housewife." "I'm just starting out." "I'm just experimenting with AI." We slip it into emails ("Just checking in"), meetings ("I just have one idea"), even our introductions ("I'm just freelancing right now"). But here's the thing: every time we whisper "just", we give the world permission to see us as smaller than we are. ⸻ Why "Just" is career kryptonite → It's a self-confidence drain. Forbes calls "just" a permission word. A shy knock on the door before asking for space you already deserve. → It makes others doubt you. Studies on hedging language show that phrases like "just," "maybe," and "I think" instantly reduce perceived authority. Even when you ARE the expert. → It's gendered. Women use minimising language more frequently in professional settings. And it directly affects promotions, pay, and how much airtime we get in meetings. Translation: Every "just" you drop is a breadcrumb trail leading straight to invisibility. ⸻ Here's the glitter truth ✨ You're not just starting out. You're brave enough to begin. You're not just learning AI. You're future-proofing your career. You're not just a housewife. You're running a domestic empire that would make FTSE CEOs weep. Nobody changes the world by making themselves smaller. ⸻ How to ditch "just" (save this bit!) 1️⃣ Audit your language. Re-read your last email or LinkedIn post. Delete every "just." Feel the difference in authority. 2️⃣ Upgrade your verbs. Swap "just learning" for "exploring." Swap "just wanted to check" for "I'm following up." 3️⃣ Best-friend filter. Would you let your best mate talk about herself this way? No? Then why are you? 4️⃣ Magnify instead of minimise. Replace "just" with "exactly": "I'm exactly the right person for this." 5️⃣ Make it contagious. Next time you hear someone say "I'm just…", gently call it out. Confidence spreads. In the best way. ⸻ Your turn What's your "just" story? Mine was "I'm just a marketer." Until I realised I'd spent 30 years building global brands, leading teams at Google, and learning from the best. Not "just." Never "just." Drop yours below 👇 And if you're ready to banish minimising language and own your brilliance? 💌 Join my weekly newsletter, All That Glitters. Where ambitious women stop playing small and start sparkling out loud. Sign up here → https://lnkd.in/en6Z3E7W P.S. Remember: The only thing worse than saying "just" is thinking you're "just" not ready. You are. Start now. ✨

The Most Dangerous Word in Sales Is “Just” “Just checking in…” “Just wanted to follow up…” “Just circling back…” That one word quietly lowers your authority. Language shapes positioning. And “just” makes you sound smaller than you are. It signals hesitation. It softens your intent. It frames your outreach as an interruption instead of a contribution. You feel polite. They feel it as uncertainty. In trust-based sales, that matters. Because buyers don’t just evaluate your offer. They evaluate your certainty. And certainty isn’t loud. It’s clean. Here’s what “just” actually does: It minimizes your value before they even hear it. It asks for permission instead of providing direction. It puts you below the conversation instead of inside it. You’re not “just checking in.” You’re following up on a decision. You’re bringing clarity. You’re moving something forward. That deserves clean language. Here’s the shift. Instead of: “Just checking in to see if you had a chance…” Say: “Wanted to follow up on where this stands.” Instead of: “Just wanted to see if this is still a priority…” Say: “Is this still a priority for you right now?” Instead of: “Just circling back…” Say: “Following up on our last conversation.” Notice the difference. No extra words. No apology. No shrinking. Clarity reads as confidence. This isn’t about being aggressive. It’s about being grounded. You can be respectful and direct at the same time. In fact, that’s what builds trust. Small language shifts create big positioning changes. Because every word either reinforces authority or quietly takes it away. Remove “just” and you stop asking to be taken seriously. You start sounding like someone who already is.

I didn’t notice it at first. Then I started hearing it everywhere. In coaching sessions. In meetings. In casual conversations. One small word. “Just.” “I’m just following up.” “I just support the team.” “I was just involved a little.” No one taught us this word was dangerous. It sounds polite. Safe. Humble. But here’s what it quietly does: It tells people not to take you seriously before they even decide. The clients who use it most aren’t unsure of their work. They’re unsure of how their confidence will be received. So they soften it in advance. Shrink it before anyone else can. I see this a lot. Not because people lack ability. But because they’ve learned that being too clear can feel risky. If you’ve ever added “just” without thinking… If you’ve ever reduced your contribution to avoid attention… That wasn’t modesty. That was self protection. And once you notice it, you start choosing your words differently.

We use the word “just” all the time: “I just wanted to check in…” “I’m just wondering if…” “I just think…” It sounds polite. Harmless. Even softening. But here’s the problem. It weakens your message. It downplays your authority. And it signals that you’re not entirely confident in what you’re saying. When you remove “just,” your sentence becomes clearer, stronger, and more assertive. You’re not just checking in — you’re following up. You’re not just thinking — you have a thought worth sharing. This one tiny tweak can completely shift how others perceive your presence, your professionalism, and your power. So try it. Start noticing when just sneaks into your speech. Then practice leaving it out and see how much more confident you sound.

Let’s talk about one of the most overused (and underratedly damaging) words in email: “just.” “I’m just checking in.” “Just wanted to follow up.” “Just making sure you saw this.” We all do it; it sounds polite, softer, less pushy. But here’s the thing: “just” quietly undermines your confidence. It makes your message feel apologetic, like you’re asking for permission to speak instead of owning the space. When you remove it, your tone shifts from hesitant to professional and direct. You’re not being rude; you’re being clear. Try it: ❌ “Just wanted to check if you’ve had a chance to review.” ✅ “Checking to see if you’ve had a chance to review.” Small change. Major difference in how your message lands. Whether you’re emailing a client, candidate, or colleague, skip the “just.” You don’t just do your job. You do it well.

Your words are doing more harm to your confidence than your workload is. For years, I didn’t notice how often I used the word “just.” It slipped into emails, slack messages, client conversations, and requests to coworkers. “I’m just checking in.” “I just wanted to ask if you could…” “I’m just reaching out because…” It felt polite. Later, I realized it was holding me back. In the corporate world, “just” becomes a softener. A verbal cushion. A way of tiptoeing around what you actually need. But here’s what “just” really communicates in situations that matter: • It weakens your credibility. You dilute your expertise before you even share it. • It waters down your requests. Instead of making a clear ask, you position it as something small or optional. • It signals uncertainty. In environments where confidence shapes perception, “just” works against you. Removing it was one of the simplest ways I shifted how I showed up. Not louder. Not pushier. Simply clearer. Now I say: “I’m following up.” “I’m asking if you can send that today.” “I’m reaching out because…” Same message. Very different energy. What wording have you caught yourself using that you don’t want to carry into next year?

The most expensive word in customer experience is “just.” “Just reset your password.” “Just call support.” “Just fill out this form.” “Just click the link in your email.” “Just” is a red flag. Because it usually means the task is only easy for the person saying it… not the person doing it. Here are a few simple swaps that remove friction and build trust: ❌ “Just reset your password.” ✅ “Here’s the fastest way to reset your password, it takes about 30 seconds.” ❌ “Just call support.” ✅ “The quickest option is to call support. If you’d rather not, here are two other ways.” ❌ “Just fill out this form.” ✅ “This form helps us get it right the first time. Here’s exactly what you’ll need.” ❌ “Just click the link in your email.” ✅ “Look for an email from ___ with the subject line ___. If you don’t see it in 2 minutes, check spam, or reply here and I’ll help.” Small language changes. Big experience improvements. #CustomerExperience #CustomerService

One of the fastest ways to get ignored in Customer Success is sending a "just checking in" email. It feels polite. It feels low pressure. It usually gets no response. Why? Because it gives the customer nothing to react to. If you are new to CS, here is a better way to write emails that actually get replies and give you useful information: Stop saying: "Just checking in to see how things are going." Start doing this instead: 1. Give context immediately Show them you are paying attention. Example: "I saw your team has not logged in much this week." "I noticed your account is set up, but your first workflow has not gone live yet." "I saw you invited users, but no one has started using the feature yet." Now the email feels real. 2. Ask about one specific thing Do not ask a broad question like "How is everything going?" Ask: "What is blocking your team from rolling this out?" "What has been the hardest part so far?" "What were you hoping this would help you solve?" "Is the issue training, timing, or product fit?" That is how you get actual answers. 3. Make it easy to reply in one sentence Most customers will not write you a long thoughtful email. Give them a simple path: "Is the main issue time, priority, or confusion?" "Would you say this is a setup issue or a results issue?" "Did you stop because of bandwidth, lack of value, or something else?" The easier it is to answer, the more replies you get. 4. Offer one clear next step Do not end with a vague "let me know if you need anything." Instead say: "If helpful, I can send the 3 fastest steps to get this live." "If you'd like, reply with the biggest blocker and I'll point you to the best next step." "If it makes sense, I can send a quick example your team can copy." Now your email is useful, not passive. 5. Write like a person A lot of CS emails sound polished but empty. The emails that get responses usually sound more like: "Hey, I noticed your team got close to launch but seems to have stalled. What is getting in the way right now?" That sounds human. Human gets replies. A simple framework for better CS emails: What I noticed What I want to understand What next step I can offer Example: "Hi Sarah, I saw your team has added users but has not started using the scheduling workflow yet. I wanted to ask what is getting in the way right now. If helpful, reply with the biggest blocker and I can point you to the fastest next step." That will outperform "just checking in" almost every time. New CS teams do not need more follow-up emails. They need better reasons for customers to respond.

The word that's silently killing your credibility. There is one word professionals use dozens of times a day. It costs them credibility every single time. The word is "just." "I just wanted to check in..." "I just think we should consider..." "I just have a small question..." Every "just" is an apology you didn't mean to make. It miniaturises your message before it's even heard. It signals that your thought isn't worth full space. It trains people to treat your input as a footnote not a headline. And the worst part? Most professionals have no idea they're doing it. Remove "just" from your professional vocabulary for one week. Watch what changes. Before: "I just wanted to share an idea." After: "I have an idea worth discussing." Same thought. Completely different authority. Words are not neutral. Every word you choose either adds to your presence or quietly borrows against it. The most compelling communicators I've studied don't use smaller words to seem more approachable. They use precise words to be unmistakably clear. You don't need a bigger vocabulary. You need a more intentional one. Start with removing one word. Just stop saying 'just'. What other filler word do you catch yourself overusing? 👇 #leadership #communication #influence #personalgrowth #lifelonglearning

Wondering why your emails aren’t getting responses? Recently I was talking with a client about email etiquette and how to stand out in the clutter. The issue isn’t always what you’re saying—it’s how you’re saying it. Passive phrases like “just checking in” or “does that make sense?” can actually undermine your message. They signal uncertainty and make it easy for recipients to ignore or delay responding. Instead, try being more direct and actionable: → “Quick nudge on this—where do we stand?” → “Are we aligned on this approach?” → “I’m proposing we move forward with…” The difference? Confident language creates clarity and urgency. It positions you as someone who knows what they want and makes it easier for others to give you a clear response. Your communication style directly impacts your results. Small shifts in how you phrase requests can transform email threads from endless back-and-forth into productive conversations that actually move things forward. What’s one email phrase you’re going to retire after seeing this? #Communication #Leadership #Productivity #EmailTips #EmailEtiquette #Confidence #BusinessWriting