Ten Phrases I'd Like to See Us Retire

The words we choose shape how clients—and our colleagues—experience our professionalism and expertise. The strongest consultants don’t sound like they know everything. They sound like professionals who think carefully, communicate precisely, and inspire confidence in their judgment without promising certainty.

I spent last week at the Jersey Shore. Over and over—in completely unrelated situations—I was advised, “Trust me.” (It helps if you hear that in your best Jersey accent.)

When I asked for the lettuce to be left off my hoagie because of the current cyclosporiasis outbreak, I was told, “Trust me, bro, our lettuce is good.” An overloaded parking attendant collecting keys assured me, “Trust me, you’re good.” Later, when one of my grandkids kept feeding credits into a malfunctioning claw machine, the attendant waved me off before I could explain: “I got you. Trust me.”

That’s when I realized how much I dislike the phrase. It’s quick. It’s easy. But it doesn’t show that the concern was heard, understood, or appreciated. Instead, it shuts down the conversation.

And it made me wonder: What phrases do we use in admissions, educational consulting, and test prep that unintentionally do the same thing?

Here are ten I’d be happy to retire. I’d love to hear yours in the comments.