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The Most Expensive Words in a Meeting

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:24:20 GMT

These are the most expensive words in a meeting...

"I understand."

Or at least we think we do. Because sometimes everyone understands...until they don't.

So why do intelligent, experienced, capable people sit quietly in meetings when they don't understand something?

I don't think it's because they aren't curious. I think somewhere along the way we've confused knowing with competence. So people learn to perform understanding.

I know— I used to be one of those people.

Someone is presenting. An acronym gets thrown out that I don't recognize. Everyone else seems to know what it means.

So I nod and think:

Maybe I missed something.
I should probably know this.
Everyone else seems to understand.
I'll figure it out after the meeting.

The presentation continues. Everyone keeps nodding. The meeting ends. And everyone leaves with their dignity intact and possibly six completely different understandings of what the hell they just agreed to.

We've all been there.

The problem isn't that people don't care. It's that many of us have been conditioned to believe asking a question reveals a weakness. So instead of being curious, we become quiet. When I was younger, I wanted to prove I belonged in the room. Today, I care more about getting it right.

If someone says, "AEM," I might stop the conversation and ask, "I'm sorry...what does AEM stand for again?" Sometimes I laugh, "of course. Adobe Experience Manager. I knew that. I just wasn't connecting the acronym."

Other times, I discover it isn't an industry acronym at all. It's an internal project, process, or system everyone inside the company understands and no one outside does. Those moments have taught me that asking a thoughtful question doesn't slow progress.

It creates clarity.

Some of the most expensive organizational problems don't begin with bad strategy. They begin with assumptions no one challenged because everyone assumed someone else understood. I've never asked a question to slow a meeting down. I ask because I'm trying to create clarity.

Are we talking about the same thing?
Are we defining success the same way?
What does this decision actually mean for the people responsible for executing it?

Because once the meeting ends, execution begins.

I'd rather spend five extra minutes creating clarity than spend five months fixing a misunderstanding.

The smartest executives I've worked with weren't the ones who always had the answers. They were the ones comfortable enough to ask one more question—not because they lacked competence, but because they cared more about getting it right than appearing to already know.

Maybe the most valuable words in a meeting aren't, "I understand."

Maybe they're: "Help me understand."

What is an SSL certificate & does my website need one?

Lisalynne@pacesettermktg.com (Lisa Quinn) — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:53:23 GMT

Yes. You need to get an SSL certificate for your website.

What is it?

Having an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate for your website is very important, as it contributes to the security, trustworthiness, and functionality of your site. An SSL certificate secures your website to protect important customer data from cybercriminals. You can tell when a site has an SSL Certificate because it adds HTTPS to your website instead of simply HTTP. Many browsers, including google, will warn visitors if the site is not secure – ultimately causing many people to leave without viewing the site.

SSL certificates ensure that this data travels securely from a user’s browser to your website server without being intercepted by hackers. An SSL certificate is also essential to General Data Compliance (GDPR) if your website stores personal information.

Why is it needed?

Here are some key reasons why having an SSL certificate is crucial:

Website Functionality

Search Engine Ranking: Search engines like Google give preference to secure websites. Having an SSL certificate can positively impact your search engine ranking, potentially leading to better visibility and increased web traffic.
Browser Compatibility: Most modern web browsers, like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, display warnings to users when they visit non-secure websites. Having an SSL certificate ensures that your website will be accessible without such warnings, preventing potential visitors from being scared away.
Authentication: Extended Validation (EV) SSL certificates provide the highest level of authentication, verifying the legitimacy of your website. This can be especially important for businesses that want to display their authenticity prominently.
Improved Page Load Times: Some SSL certificates come with performance enhancements like HTTP/2, which can speed up page loading times, providing a better user experience.

Data Security

Data Encryption: SSL certificates encrypt data transferred between a user's browser and your website's server. This encryption ensures that sensitive information, such as login credentials, credit card details, and personal data, cannot be intercepted or read by malicious actors during transmission.
Data Integrity: SSL certificates also verify the integrity of data, ensuring that it hasn't been tampered with during transmission. This helps prevent "man-in-the-middle" attacks, where an attacker alters the data as it's transmitted between the user and the server.
Legal Protection: SSL certificates may offer legal protection in the event of a data breach or security incident. They can demonstrate that you took reasonable steps to secure user data, potentially reducing liability.
Trust and Credibility: When visitors see the padlock icon and "https" in the URL bar of their browser, it signals that your website is secure. This visual cue builds trust and credibility with your audience, assuring them that their information is safe on your site.
E-commerce Compliance: If you run an e-commerce website, you are required to have an SSL certificate to protect customer data and meet industry regulations and compliance standards like PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard).
Protection Against Phishing: SSL certificates help protect your website from being replicated by phishing sites. Phishing sites attempt to impersonate legitimate websites to steal user information, and having SSL in place can make it more difficult for malicious actors to mimic your site.

In summary, having an SSL certificate for your website is essential for protecting sensitive data, building trust with your visitors, improving search engine rankings, and ensuring the overall security and functionality of your site. It has become a standard practice in web development and is necessary in today's online landscape.

Keep in touch with site visitors and boost loyalty

Lisalynne@pacesettermktg.com (Lisa Quinn) — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:53:22 GMT

There are so many good reasons to communicate with site visitors. Tell them about sales and new products or update them with tips and information.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

Blogging is free

Maintaining a blog on your site is absolutely free. You can hire bloggers if you like or assign regularly blogging tasks to everyone in your company.

A natural way to build your brand

A blog is a wonderful way to build your brand’s distinct voice. Write about issues that are related to your industry and your customers.

Tips for writing great posts that increase your site traffic

Lisalynne@pacesettermktg.com (Lisa Quinn) — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 00:53:22 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

Don’t forget to add images

Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting

Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.