Do any of the following sound familiar? ‘So sorry to bother you!’ ‘Just wondered if…’ ‘I’m no expert but…’
If so, it might be time to stop the apologetic emails and download a new app aimed at preventing women from undermining themselves in the workplace.
The brainchild of Cyrus Innovations, ‘Just Not Sorry’ is an extension for Google Chrome that flags up apologetic qualifying phrases in your emails, like ‘maybe,’ ‘so sorry’ and ‘I think.’ According to the app’s founders, expressions like this can ‘undermine your message’ and ‘diminish [your] voice.’
Once you’ve downloaded the plug-in, these phrases will be marked out with a spellcheck-style red line, meaning you’re more likely to go back and re-think your softly, softly approach to emailing.
A screenshot from 'Just Not Sorry'
If you’re not sure why your words have been flagged up by the app, you can hover over them for a quick, fuss-free explanation, which come courtesy of writers and leadership experts like Tara Mohr and Sylvia Ann Hewlett. For example, typing ‘I’m no expert’ yields a reminder that writing this ‘undermines your idea and displays an overall lack of self-confidence,’ according to business journalist Lydia Dishman.
The app launched last week, and while some commentators have taken issue, seeing it as just another way of calling out and shaming women for their behaviour, the response has been mainly positive – and it’s already been downloaded over 27,000 times. And if you’ve resolved to be more assertive in the workplace this year, taking a few seconds to download the app could be a good place to start.
You can download ‘Just Not Sorry’ for free here.
Words by Katie Rosseinsky
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