Years ago, as a PR manager, I spent two years being careful with every word because I thought the culture demanded it. My boss left. I applied for her job. The president stalled the promotion for five months. One evening, too tired to keep performing, I dropped the act in a meeting with the president and the EVP. The EVP followed me out and said I'd have had the job months earlier if I'd shown up that way from the start. Weeks later I got the role. How you say it matters as much as what you say, and understanding who you're talking to is critical. I built my method on that.