When someone pushes back hard, say: "Tell me more about that."

Why it works: It buys you a moment to think and often surfaces the real objection underneath the first one.

Use it: When you're met with resistance you didn't expect.

"Sorry, can I just say something?"

You've said it this week.

Probably more than once.

And every time, it came before a point that was clear, relevant and worth hearing.

Nobody in that room thought you were being rude.

You were the only one who did.

The apology wasn't needed.

But it still did a job.

It told the room that what came next was optional.

You're not apologising because you've done anything wrong.

You're apologising for taking up space.

For most of your career, you've been rewarded for being easy to work with.

For not interrupting.

For keeping things smooth.

So when you cut into a conversation that's already moving, your brain registers it as a small social risk.

It reaches for something to reduce that risk.

"Sorry" is that something.

It's a softener.

A quick signal that says "I'm not a threat" before you've made your point.

And you don't stop at "sorry."

"Sorry, can I just quickly add..."

Sorry. Just. Quickly.

Three ways of making yourself smaller before you've started.

In the moment, it feels polite. Safe, even.

The problem is what it does to everything that follows.

Psychologists call this framing (the way something is introduced shapes how people judge it).

Open with an apology and you've framed your contribution as an interruption, not an input.

And people take their cue from you.

If you treat your point as an imposition, so will they.

I hear this frequently from the women I work with.

Incredible leaders who'll present a strategy to the board without blinking.

Then say "Sorry to jump in" in their own weekly team meeting.

I don't think "sorry" in a meeting has anything to do with manners.

It's you asking permission.

And you don't need it.

You're senior. You're in the room because of what you know.

Speaking up is part of your job, not a favour you're asking for.

You don't need to be louder.

You need to drop the apology and get straight to the point.

Cut "sorry" and lead with what you actually want to say.

Instead of: "Sorry, can I just say something about the timeline?"

Try: "On the timeline, I think we need another two weeks."

Instead of: "Sorry, this might be a silly question, but..."

Try: "What's the plan if the launch slips?"

The second version sounds like someone who's already decided their point matters.

Because it does.

Sometimes you do have to break into a conversation that's moving fast.

That's fine. You just don't need to apologise for it.

"I'd like to add something here."

"Before we move on, one point on budget."

"I want to come back to what Sam said."

You can be courteous without shrinking.

"Hold that thought, Tom. I want to flag a risk first."

"Let me come in there, then I'll hand back to you."

"I'm going to jump in here, because this affects my team's deadline."

Short. Respectful. No apology needed.

This habit is fast and automatic.

You won't stop it overnight, and that's normal.

After each meeting this week, take thirty seconds and note how many times you said sorry before speaking.

You'll probably be surprised by the number.

Then pick one meeting next week where you don't say it at all.

Once you can see the pattern, you can change it.

You learned this habit. Which means you can unlearn it.

Next meeting, notice the moment "sorry" starts to form.

Let it go.

Start with the point instead.

Nobody will miss the apology.

They'll just hear what you had to say.