Via Talks at Google

"While we spend a lot of time thinking about the ideas we want to communicate, we spend a lot less time thinking about the specific words we want to use to communicate those ideas. But unfortunately, that's a mistake — because subtle shifts in the language we use can have a big effect on our impact."

— What to Say to Get Your Way | Jonah Berger | Talks at Google, Watch at 1:53

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We spend a lot of time thinking about the ideas we want to convey, and then just… say them. We don't spend as much time considering the specific words we use or why those words might work better than others.

Jonah Berger, Wharton marketing professor and author of Magic Words, identifies six types of language that reliably increase persuasion, connection, and impact. His core finding: subtle shifts in word choice can have an outsized effect on how people respond to you.

The six types of language form SPEACC (pronounced "speak").

Type	What it does	What the research says
S — Similarity (and difference)	Matching another person's language builds rapport, signals belonging, and can predict career outcomes. Differences break monotony, foster creativity, and draw engagement.	Employees whose linguistic style matched their coworkers' were three times more likely to be promoted. New users who adopted an online forum's linguistic conventions tended to stay longer. Analysis of movie scripts found that sections with higher internal similarity lost viewer engagement; variety in language rhythm holds attention.
P — Posing questions	Asking for advice makes the asker seem more competent, because it flatters the advice-giver. Asking questions — especially follow-up questions — signals attentiveness. This matters in many situations, such as dating, client-supplier meetings, and doctor-patient interactions. Questions also shape information flow, whether by deflecting uncomfortable topics or drawing out more useful answers.	When someone says, "I enjoyed that presentation," ask "What part did you like?" When someone says "I had a tough day," respond with "What made it so difficult?" rather than "I'm sorry to hear that." To deflect an uncomfortable question, ask a related one back. It shifts the focus to the other person without refusing to answer outright. When you need an honest answer, probe specifically: "Have residents complained about the neighbors in the past?" will reveal more than "How are the neighbors?"
E — Emotion	Emotional language, especially language that evokes uncertainty (hope, worry, curiosity), holds attention by keeping the audience in suspense.	Emotions like hope suggest something might happen but isn't certain yet, which keeps an audience engaged to find out what happens next.
A — Agency and identity	Framing a behaviour as an identity rather than an action motivates people by connecting it to how they see themselves. Giving people agency in how they approach a problem produces better outcomes.	Asking children to "be a helper" rather than to "help" increased helping by about 30%. Asking adults to "be a voter" rather than to "vote" led to a 15% increase in turnout. Asking people "What could we do?" generates more creative solutions than asking "What should we do?"
C — Confidence	Eliminating hedges and filler words makes speakers seem more credible and authoritative. Expressing measured doubt can be effective when you want the other side to stay open.	To be perceived more positively and increase impact: ditch the hedges and use definites. When you want to encourage the other side to listen, expressing doubt can be the better move.
C — Concreteness	Specific, concrete language signals that you have genuinely listened and understood. It increases comprehension and customer satisfaction.	Customer service representatives who used more concrete language — "your money" instead of "a refund", "those lime green Nikes" instead of "those shoes" — received higher customer satisfaction scores.

The SPEACC framework is a diagnostic tool. When communication breaks down, it helps you identify which type of language is missing.

Is your pitch losing people because it lacks emotional language? Is your proposal not landing because your confidence language is weak? Is your request failing because you're asking for an action when you should be inviting an identity?

Start with the type that maps to your most pressing communication challenge. Apply one technique from that category deliberately, then build from there.

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Things to Try

Improving Requests and Motivation:

• Reframe your next request from action to identity: "Be a [X]" instead of "[X] please".
• When delegating, describe team members with identity language: "You're a teacher" not "You teach well".
• Use negative identity framing to discourage unwanted behaviors: "Don't be the person who [X]".

Enhancing Problem-Solving:

• Replace "What should we do?" with "What could we do?" in your next problem solving session.
• Frame brainstorming prompts with "could" language to encourage broader thinking.

Speaking with More Confidence:

• Record yourself in a meeting and count your hedges (might, maybe, sort of, kind of, I think).
• Remove one habitual hedge from your vocabulary this week.
• Practice replacing "um" and "uh" with silent pauses.
• Before your next presentation, identify your core message and practice stating it without qualifiers.

Expressing Strategic Uncertainty:

• Take ownership of tentative views with "I think" rather than "It seems".
• List three requirements for success (e.g., "This will work if these 3 requirements are met.") instead of saying "This might work."