I did something at a conference last week that made people lean in.
I was in a closing circle with 40 people sharing takeaways from the weekend.
When it was my turn, I said: “My biggest takeaway is that we believe the things we say.”
Then I paused.
And said it again, in a quiet hushed tone: “We believe the things we say.”
People’s heads came up. The room got still.
Here’s why that mattered to me:
I’d spent the entire weekend talking about my New York Times bestseller launch, but I kept framing it negatively. “It was so stressful.” “I’m not sure it was worth it to push so hard to try to hit the NYT bestseller list.”
I was training my brain to think: Pushing so hard to hit the New York Times bestseller list = bad decision.
But that’s not true. It was hard, yes. But it was also exhilarating. I set an insane goal and achieved it! I’m so proud of that. (And the 40+ people who helped me!)
Someone at the conference called me out on it. I realized I had talked myself into believing it was a mistake.
So in that closing circle, I said the thing I needed to hear. Twice.
I call this the “quiet repeat.”
It’s one of the simplest ways to sound more executive.
The Problem
You say something important in a meeting. But it gets lost.
People are half-listening, thinking about their next point, or checking Slack under the table.
Your brilliant insight? Gone. You sound smart, but not memorable.
The Big Small Thing
Use the “quiet repeat”:
Say your point at normal volume. Pause for 2 seconds.
Then repeat the exact same phrase — word for word — but quieter and slower.
4 real-life examples:
1. In a strategy meeting: “I think we should kill this project.” [pause] “I think we should kill this project.”
2. When giving feedback: “You’re ready for more responsibility.” [pause] “You’re ready for more responsibility.”
3. When motivating your team: “We’re not asking you to run faster and burn out. We’re giving you a bicycle with AI.” [pause] “We’re not asking you to run faster and burn out. We’re giving you a bicycle with AI.”
4. In a client pitch: “We’re not the cheapest option. We’re the best one.” [pause] “We’re not the cheapest option. We’re the best one.”
When you repeat something quietly, people have to lean in to hear you. They stop multitasking and listen.
Plus, you seem confident and in control.
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How This Helps You Get What You Want
You want to be taken seriously. You want to be seen as a leader. You want people to remember what you say.
The quiet repeat is a power move that helps you do that.
Try it once this week in a meeting or presentation.
Watch what happens.
