Three words to make mean people shut up
Sometimes being an entrepreneur can come with naysayers. And sometimes they can be pretty mean.
Today I share a little communications strategy I learned years ago that puts you in control and gets mean people to leave you alone without a big hubub.
It's just three words and it's a game-changer.
Rooting for you! xo, Heather
Pro marketing advice, because you know, when you know what the pros do, you can do what the pros do. Today, I'm going to talk to you how to make mean people stop being mean. One of the things that's really interesting about becoming an entrepreneur is that you are really putting yourself out there in such a really big way.
And because you're putting yourself out there in a completely different way, meaning no one's necessarily asking you for your help or your opinion. It is such tender work. I just know that because I work with entrepreneurs and I'm an entrepreneur myself, and sometimes there are naysayers people who just really do not understand why you're doing what you're doing. Sometimes they're trying to protect you and they're worried about you and want to make sure that you're going to be okay financially. But sometimes people are just like downright mean. And I was just talking with somebody in my entrepreneurial community and they were talking about a conversation they were having with someone who was being super mean to them.
Basically, one of those "Who do you think you are teaching people how to do something?" One of those types of conversations. And I'm like, "Oh, ah, I have the best strategy for how to shut down mean people in the moment, in a way that puts you in complete control. It doesn't make you sound like a jerk. It's completely conflict-free. And it disables the mean person and they will literally avoid you from that point forward. I promise you."
I have a long career in corporate communications. I know how to navigate through a situation or two using words or pictures. I also grew up with eight brothers and sisters, and this is honestly where this strategy was developed, but I'll tell you it works every single time.
When someone is being mean to you again, having that kind of conversation, who do you think you are to do fill in the blank with whatever it is you're doing. Just look at them so nicely and say, "What's your point?" And then just stop talking and then just enjoy what happens after that. Because that person will be completely, I promise you, they will be struck wordless and it really gets them to really think about what they're doing. People don't really fundamentally, I think, want to be mean. Sure some people want to be mean, but most people I don't think want to be mean, and it really helps them to get reflective, but it also puts you in complete command of that conversation.
What's your point? You can say it in a really annoyed way. "Ugh. What's your point?" You could say it in a way really sweet. "Oh, that's so interesting. What's your point by saying that?" And I promise you just sit back and enjoy because it's nice to watch mean people sometimes squirm a little bit because sometimes success in entrepreneurialism, it can be a little revengey and that's okay. Try this the next time you are confronted with a naysayer someone who truly does not understand to simply say "what's your point" and just sit back and enjoy what happens next, because it's pretty fun.
I'd love to hear if you put this into practice. Throw it in the comments. I also always want to hear if you're listening live or if this is a replay and please know that wherever you are in this, a beautiful, crazy ever-changing world, there's me, Heather Campbell, who is 100,000% rooting for you. So take care and I'll see you here next Thursday, guys.
Bye bye.
