One of the most common missteps in customer conversation is talking about ourselves too much. There is an overload of “I, me, my” out there—which can block us from truly connecting with customers, prospects, and colleagues.
Nevertheless, there are at least three “I” statements which can build your professional credibility rather than undermine it. But first, let’s recognize that telling others what we think and feel is not a character flaw. It is instead the response to a powerful biological lure that is embedded deep within our brains. As I recently shared with subscribers to my free Message Manager Memo™, Harvard University neuroscientists Diana Tamir and Jason Mitchell found that talking about ourselves triggers the same sensation of pleasure in the brain as money, food or sex. Yes, people find immediate reward at the level of brain cells and synapses.
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