The Words That Win Interviews: How to Speak Like the Leader They're Looking For

You've done the prep. 

You know your achievements. 

You've researched the company. 

You walk into the interview room (or log into the Zoom) ready to impress.

And then it happens.

"So, tell me about yourself."

You hear yourself say: 

"Well, I'm sort of passionate about... "

"I think I could be a good fit because..."

"I've been trying to develop my skills in..."

And just like that, you've undercut yourself before you've even started.

The Power of Words

The words you choose in an interview matter just as much as what you say. 

Sometimes even more. 

Your language signals confidence, competence, and leadership potential — or uncertainty, hesitation, and self-doubt. And interviewers are listening for these cues, whether they realize it or not.

I work with brilliant leaders in my coaching practice who unconsciously sabotage themselves with weak language. Here's what to watch for - and what to say instead.

The Problem: Low-Power Language Kills Your Credibility

Low-power language is the verbal equivalent of making yourself smaller. It's the hedge words, the qualifiers, the unnecessary apologies that creep into our speech - especially when we're nervous or trying to be modest.

Common low-power phrases in interviews:

• "I'm not sure, but..."

• "I think I did a good job..."

• "I was just trying to..."

• "I hope I can contribute..."

• "Does that make sense?"

• "Sorry, can I add one more thing?"

• "I'm kind of passionate about..."

These phrases might feel polite or humble, but they send the wrong message. They say: 

I'm uncertain. 

I don't trust my own expertise. 

I'm apologizing for taking up space.

And in a competitive interview, that can really hurt your chances. 

The Science: Why Powerful Language Works

Amy Cuddy's research on presence shows us that language and body language work together to create - or destroy - executive presence. When you use high-power language, you're not just communicating information. You're signaling:

• Confidence: You believe in what you're saying

• Ownership: You take responsibility for your accomplishments

• Clarity: You know exactly what you bring to the table

• Leadership: You're ready to step into the role

Interviewers aren't just evaluating your past experience. They're asking: Can I see this person leading our team? Presenting to our board? Representing our company?

Your words answer that question before your CV ever could.

The Shift: From Weak to Powerful

Let's look at what this looks like in practice: 

Example 1: Talking About Your Experience

Low-Power: "I was just a project manager, but I tried to help the team improve our processes. I think it worked pretty well."

High-Power: "As project manager, I led a cross-functional team to redesign our delivery process. We reduced cycle time by 30% and improved client satisfaction scores by 15 points."

What Changed:

• Removed "just" (you weren't just anything — own your role)

• Changed "tried to" to "led" (strong action verb)

• Replaced "I think" with concrete results (facts, not feelings)

• Added specific metrics (data proves impact)

Example 2: Discussing Your Strengths

Low-Power: "I'm kind of good at problem-solving. I hope I can bring that to your team."

High-Power: "I excel at diagnosing complex problems and designing scalable solutions. In my last role, I identified a bottleneck in our supply chain that was costing us $2M annually and implemented a solution that recovered 80% of that loss."

What Changed:

• "Kind of good" → "excel at" (claim your strength)

• "Hope I can bring" → concrete example (show, don't tell)

• Vague assertion → specific story with impact (proof over promises)

Example 3: Answering "Why Do You Want This Job?"

Low-Power: "I was hoping to find a role where I could maybe grow my leadership skills. I feel like this could be a good opportunity."

High-Power: "I'm looking for a role where I can apply my strategic thinking to scale operations while developing emerging leaders. What excites me about this position is the opportunity to build the infrastructure that will support your next phase of growth."

What Changed:

• "Hoping" → "looking for" (active, intentional)

• "Maybe grow" → "apply" and "develop" (confident action)

• "Feel like" → "what excites me" (emotion without weakness)

• Focused on what YOU bring, not just what you want

The Cheat Sheet: Power Word Swaps for Interviews

Here's your quick-reference guide for interview language:

"I was just responsible for..." → "I led..." / "I managed..." / "I owned..."

"I tried to improve..." → "I improved..." / "I increased..." / "I optimized..."

"I think I'm good at..." → "I excel at..." / "My strength is..." / "I'm skilled in..."

"I hope to contribute..." → "I will bring..." / "I can deliver..."

"I'm kind of passionate about..." → "I'm deeply committed to..." / "What drives me is..."

"Does that make sense?" → "What questions do you have?"

"Sorry, can I add something?" → "I'd like to add..." / "An important point is..."

"I was hoping you could..." → "I'd like to discuss..." / "Can we explore..."

But What About Modesty? Won't I Sound Arrogant?

This is the question I hear constantly from clients: 

"If I talk like this, won't I sound arrogant or overconfident?"

Short answer: No.

Here's the difference between confidence and arrogance:

Arrogance makes claims without evidence and dismisses others:

• "I'm the best strategist you'll find."

• "No one on my team was as effective as me."

• "This role is probably too junior for my skills."

Confidence states facts, shares credit, and demonstrates impact:

• "I led our Q3 strategy, which resulted in a 25% revenue increase."

• "I worked closely with engineering and design to launch our most successful product."

• "I'm looking for a role where I can apply my experience in scaling operations to solve complex growth challenges."

You can be modest AND powerful. Modesty means you don't inflate your accomplishments or take credit for others' work. It doesn't mean you apologize for your competence or hide your achievements.

The Framework: STAR Method Meets Powerful Language

The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is great for structuring behavioral interview answers. But it's even more powerful when you combine it with high-power language.

The Formula:

Situation: Set context with confidence

• "At my previous company, we faced a significant challenge with..."

Task: Own your role

• "I was tasked with..." / "I took ownership of..."

Action: Use strong verbs

• "I designed..." / "I led..." / "I implemented..." / "I negotiated..."

Result: Quantify impact

• "This resulted in..." / "We achieved..." / "The outcome was..."

Example in Action:

"At TechCorp, we were losing 30% of our customers in their first 90 days. I led a cross-functional team to redesign the onboarding experience, implementing a new customer success framework and training program for our account managers. Within six months, we reduced churn to 12% and increased upsell conversion by 22%."

Notice: No hedging. No "trying." No "I think." Just clear ownership and concrete results.

What About the "Weakness" Question?

"What's your greatest weakness?" is designed to trip you up. Here's how to answer it powerfully:

Don't Say: "I'm really bad at public speaking. I always get so nervous."

Do Say: "Early in my career, I wasn't comfortable presenting to large groups. I've since invested in developing this skill - I joined Toastmasters, volunteered to lead our quarterly town halls, and now regularly present strategy updates to our executive team. It's become one of my strengths."

The Formula:

1. Name a real area you've developed (past tense)

2. Show what you did about it (action)

3. Demonstrate current competence (growth)

The Body Language Connection

Powerful words work best when paired with powerful presence. Before your interview:

• Power pose for 2 minutes: Stand tall, hands on hips or arms raised. Research shows this actually changes your hormone levels and increases confidence.

• Take up space: Sit with an open posture, shoulders back

• Maintain eye contact: Don't look away when sharing your accomplishments

• Pause intentionally: Silence shows confidence; rushing shows nervousness

• Speak at a measured pace: Slow down. Leaders don't rush.

Your body reinforces what your words communicate.

The Most Powerful Question You Can Ask

At the end of most interviews, they'll ask: "Do you have any questions for us?"

Weak Response: "Um, I was wondering... what's the culture like here?"

Powerful Response: "I do. Given the growth trajectory you've described, what would success look like for this role in the first 90 days? And what are the biggest challenges I'd be solving for?"

Why This Works:

• Shows you're already thinking like you have the job

• Demonstrates strategic thinking

• Positions you as a problem-solver

• Confident, direct language

Other Powerful Questions:

• "What are the key priorities for this team in the next quarter?"

• "How does this role contribute to the company's strategic objectives?"

• "What would make someone exceptionally successful in this position?"

• "What's the biggest challenge facing the team right now?"

Notice: These aren't questions about perks or vacation days. They're about impact, strategy, and performance.

Practice Makes Permanent

Changing your language patterns takes practice. Here's how to prepare:

1. Record yourself answering common interview questions 

Listen for:

• Hedge words (just, maybe, kind of, sort of)

• Weak verbs (try, hope, think)

• Unnecessary apologies

• Tag questions (right? you know?)

2. Rewrite your answers using the power word swaps 

Script out 3-5 key stories using strong, active language.

3. Practice out loud 

This doesn't mean you memorize answers (it will come across unauthentic) - what you want is to get comfortable with powerful language through practicing it so it feels natural under pressure.

4. Do a mock interview with a friend or coach 

Ask them to note every time you use low-power language. Then do it again.

The Bottom Line

Your words in an interview aren't just conveying information. They're creating an impression of who you are as a leader.

When you eliminate weak language and speak with clarity, conviction, and confidence, you're not being arrogant. You're being professional. You're demonstrating executive presence. You're showing them exactly who they'll be hiring.

The leader they're looking for doesn't apologize for their expertise. They don't hedge their accomplishments. They don't minimize their impact.

They walk in, own the room, and speak like someone who already has the job.

So the next time you're preparing for an interview, don't just think about what you'll say.

Think about how you'll say it.

Because the words you choose might just be the difference between "we'll let you know" and "when can you start?"

Want to master your interview presence and communication?

At Leadrise Coaching, I work with executives and emerging leaders to develop the communication skills that accelerate careers. From interview prep to executive presence to leadership communication, I help you speak like the leader you're becoming.

Get in touch at merve@leadrisecoaching.com or visit leadrisecoaching.com to learn more.

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Hi, I'm Merve. I work with senior leaders, founders, and leadership teams who want clarity, alignment, and momentum — especially in complex, hybrid, or fast-growing environments.

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