Comments on: Actually, I am amazing http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/ life, life in science, miscellaneous thoughts Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:57:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Zuska http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-77 Mon, 24 Jul 2006 17:28:46 +0100 http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-77 Train yourself to avoid all tentative constructions in speaking. "It seems to me" becomes "It is". "I think we should.." becomes "We should.." Don't qualify your recommendations or observations with "I think" or "maybe" or "it seems to me" or any other similar phrase. Just say it. If you feel like you are being rude and aggressive, you have probably hit just about the right tone! Train yourself to avoid all tentative constructions in speaking. “It seems to me” becomes “It is”. “I think we should..” becomes “We should..” Don’t qualify your recommendations or observations with “I think” or “maybe” or “it seems to me” or any other similar phrase. Just say it. If you feel like you are being rude and aggressive, you have probably hit just about the right tone!

]]> by: immunokid http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-76 Sun, 23 Jul 2006 19:07:05 +0100 http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-76 That's a good trick, MissPrism. I noticed as I gave a talk recently that I kept saying "we", even though I was the only person who'd done those experiments. It would've been a lot easier to say "I" if I were talking about something that had gone wrong, of course. That’s a good trick, MissPrism. I noticed as I gave a talk recently that I kept saying “we”, even though I was the only person who’d done those experiments.
It would’ve been a lot easier to say “I” if I were talking about something that had gone wrong, of course.

]]> by: MissPrism http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-74 Sat, 22 Jul 2006 11:47:42 +0100 http://drshellie.blogsome.com/2006/07/21/actually-i-am-amazing/#comment-74 Great idea! A hint I got, from a woman professor in my field, was to write the first draft of your resume or whatever using the word "we" - it's so much easier to say "we presented the first evidence of" or "we conclusively showed" as it doesn't feel so arrogant. Then, have a stiff drink, grit your teeth, and change as many instances of "we" to "I" as you can possibly bear to. Great idea!

A hint I got, from a woman professor in my field, was to write the first draft of your resume or whatever using the word “we” - it’s so much easier to say “we presented the first evidence of” or “we conclusively showed” as it doesn’t feel so arrogant.

Then, have a stiff drink, grit your teeth, and change as many instances of “we” to “I” as you can possibly bear to.

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