Words that project quiet authority:
Opening a Meeting Weak: "Sorry, I just wanted to quickly go over..." Strong: "I've identified three opportunities for us to discuss."
Sharing Ideas Weak: "This might be stupid, but what if we..." Strong: "Here's an approach to consider..."
Handling Questions Weak: "Um, I'm not sure, maybe..." Strong: "Good question. Let me think about that." [pause] "Here's my perspective..."
Claiming Credit Weak: "The team kind of worked on..." Strong: "I led the initiative that delivered..."
Setting Boundaries Weak: "I hate to say no, but..." Strong: "I'm committed to X. Let's discuss alternatives."