Communication Expert Warns Against ‘Minimizing’ Phrases in the Workplace

Former world champion debater and communications expert Kate Mason, PhD, is urging professionals to eliminate certain self-deprecating phrases from their workplace vocabulary, warning that such language can quietly undermine confidence, credibility, and career advancement. Drawing on her experience as an executive coach and former communications professional at Google and YouTube, Mason outlines the risks of what she terms “imposing syndrome” — a tendency, particularly among women, to downplay their needs and accomplishments at work.

Mason, who founded her strategic communications firm Hedgehog + Fox in 2017, argues that “imposing syndrome” leads many employees to avoid speaking up or to soften their requests unnecessarily. These habits, she says, have “an insidious effect on their work and their standing.” The patterns are not about “doing it wrong,” she emphasizes, but about recognizing how communication choices affect perception. “It’s more like a kind acknowledgment: this is a thing, and if that’s not serving you, maybe you want to experiment a little bit,” Mason explained.

Her findings are detailed in her new book, Powerfully Likeable: A Woman’s Guide to Effective Communication, released earlier this month. The book identifies three commonly used phrases she advises professionals to avoid, offering stronger alternatives that convey authority and respect.

Woman receiving a piece of paper | Source: Pexels

Phrase 1: “It’ll just take a second”

According to Mason, employees often use this expression out of consideration for colleagues’ time. However, she warns that it sets false expectations and minimizes the importance of the message. “Literally nothing takes one second,” she said. When a conversation extends beyond that, the recipient may feel misled or irritated.

More critically, Mason says the phrase signals that the request is trivial. Instead, she recommends clearly allocating time and specifying topics: “I’m going to put in an hour for us next week. I really want to talk through A, B and C. Let me know if that time works for you.” Framing the request this way presents it as substantive and worthy of attention.

Woman working in a desk | Source: Pexels

Phrase 2: “No worries if not”

Another phrase Mason highlights is “No worries if not,” often added to requests as a way of softening tone. “It’s very rare that we make an ask and genuinely think, ‘Oh well, if they get back to me, we’ll see,’” she said. In practice, she explains, the phrase lowers the priority of the request and risks important work being delayed.

“When I hear this phrase, I mentally place that task lower on my to-do list,” Mason admitted. Instead, she advises being direct and contextual: “I would appreciate if you could send me your edits by this afternoon, because the final draft is due tomorrow.” Mason cites a 1970s psychological study showing people are more likely to respond positively when given a clear reason.

Two men talking | Source: Pexels

Phrase 3: “I’m not an expert, but…”

“You weren’t hired because you have the same expertise as that vice president or C-level exec,” she said. “You were hired because you have your expertise.” Recognizing this, she argues, can be empowering: “Once you start realizing like, this is the thing I was hired for, and that is the value I can bring, and that’s what they want from me, it just lets you put down a lot of that hierarchical, status-oriented anxiety.”

Through her work, Mason aims to help leaders, especially women, experiment with stronger communication strategies that reflect their value. By replacing minimizing language with more intentional phrasing, she says, professionals can enhance their credibility, improve workplace relationships, and advance their careers.