I’ve spoken before about how many business experts are cautioning women against using words like “just” and “sorry” in their emails, on the grounds that they weaken their position and undermine their authority. Apparently, couching our remarks with “Just throwing this out there” or “Does that make sense?” makes us sound less powerful than we’d like.
Now, there’s a new Chrome extension which anyone (male or female) can download to highlight terms that lack power. The app, called Just Not Sorry, will scan your email and pick up any words or phrases that sound too tepid or insecure. A pop-up window explains why the word reads negatively, with advice from various business experts.
Of course, it’s not the end of the world if you throw a “just” or “actually” in an email once in a while. Still, it’s interesting to see what sort of impact using more empowering language can have on your career.