Reel by Adrianna Hopkins

Name: I get it… You want to be polite. You don’t want to be pushy. You…
Uploaded: 2026-08-17T21:48:38.000Z
Channel: Adrianna Hopkins

@adriannahopkins · August 17, 2026 · Location: Washington D.C.

Adrianna Hopkins@adriannahopkins

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6 Comments

I get it… You want to be polite. You don’t want to be pushy. You don’t want to turn your peers off. You want to be liked. Here’s what twenty years on live TV taught me: • you can be warm without shrinking yourself • respected and likable are not opposites The softening you’re doing to seem approachable is the exact thing making you sound less senior than you are, and less sure than you feel. Stop apologizing for taking up the space you earned. Swaps: 1. When someone questions your idea: Instead of “oh, maybe you’re right, I hadn’t thought of that,” try “that’s worth considering. Here’s why I still land where I do.” 2. When you need something from someone: Instead of “if you get a chance, could you maybe look at this?” try “take a look and let me know your thoughts by Thursday. Does that work?” 3. When you’re stating what you want: Instead of “whatever works for everyone else is fine,” try “here’s what I’d prefer, and I’m open if there’s a constraint I’m missing.” 4. When you’re giving your recommendation: Instead of “I could be totally off, but maybe we could try…” try “my recommendation is this. Here’s the reasoning.” None of these are cold. They’re just clear. And clear is what people remember. Which one are you guilty of? Drop the number below.