My ego usually comes to work with me. When a work meeting starts, often a set of feelings rushes in: the need to prove myself, along with a fear that I’ll be perceived as incompetent or failing to contribute. I begin to feel very conscious of saying something smart, or at the very least not saying something that falls flat or inspires eye rolls from my co-workers.

“Speaking one’s mind” sounds like a good thing. Unfortunately, saying whatever floats across the surface of my mind, especially in this tense emotional state, rarely creates the results I was hoping for.

Today, in meetings or other discussions about work, I will practice the THINK acronym before speaking. Is what I’m about to say True, Honest, Insightful, Necessary and Kind? Is it something I know from experience, or is it closer to speculation? Is my opinion about a particular topic really necessary?

By using this practice, I might find myself talking a lot less than I otherwise would. That’s okay. “Least said, soonest mended.”