How not to sound weird when talking to authority?

Be yourself and be polite, such as adding mam or sir, mr and mrs/ms to maintain that formal boundary.

Respect. Always. Be polite on even the smallest things. Don’t use any type of slang like you wild with your friends.

Just be kind - as long as you can convey a positive tone, or emotion whilst you're talking to them then you'll be a-ok. Introverted and feel like your rambling or not talking enough - as long as you're projecting positivity or being receptive to what they say - then they'll be more welcoming and accepting.

When talking to authority remember to be respectful but don't think they're better than you in any way. Talk normally, but be proper.

Try and relax a little but remain in a formal matter. Don't let anxiety manifest into physical form and prevent you tackling the task and hand and speak as if they were a friend and you were at a formal convention.

You can sound less awkward and weird by just talking in a calm and collective voice, and addressing them by “sir” or “ma’am”. It could also help if you don’t look like you’ve seen a ghost, and look at them with a calm look, not looking intimidated. Looking intimidated can make that person feel uncomfortable and weird as well. It also depends on how well you know them, or their personality. If you know them well, you can maybe say hello by addressing them by their name. If it is someone who is new to you, you can start by saying hello, and eventually ask them questions to get to know them better.

When we speak to authority we should be respectful, compliant and understanding. If we become anxious or nervous our speech becomes impaired and anxiety can take charge of the rest of our actions. To prevent this, remain calm and think that if nothing wrong has been done, nothing is to be feared as authority is usually in that authority position because they are either qualified or trained. Be honest with your actions and with your words, seek to not be hostile and to comply with reasonable requests, authority figures are to be respected at all times as they can impact our livelihood if we don't comply with their requests.

Know your priorities, and respectfully communicate with them, assuming they are supportive and kind over judgemental and critical. How they respond is outside of your control, as long as you are acting as a responsible, caring, and polite individual, it will sound like you have enough self-respect for them to begin to treat you respectfully. I find that the more I am willing to look out for others in a way that cares for myself too, the more that others automatically look up to me, and don't just dismiss me as a nobody. Many in authority do so to serve others. Respect and recognize this.

Do it politely. Then say clearly what you want them to do, how is the situation, and your requests (if you have any). Look at them in their eyes. You don't have to smile or use gestures. Just act confident. They're also human. But they have more life experience. And that's it. Respect them for that. If they rejected your request, then smile politely and say, "I'm thankful that you listened to my concerns." Or if it's really urgent, tell them what will happen if they keep on rejecting. And how it will affect others including you. Well then, good luck.

This is a subjective question. If you feel weird talking to a person in authority, it is a personal reflection of your performance in a social arena. Everyone will sound weird if they think they are awkward and sound weird - it's a self fulfilling psychological prophecy. Just know what message you want to get across and why. Your passion and conviction will carry a lot of weight. If you are asking questions just to get attention, that can come across as quite contrite. But if you ask a question because you have genuine curiousity and want to learn, it shows.

I think it's always difficult not to overthink your responses and behavior/body language when speaking to someone of/in authority. I've always found that remaining calm, respectful and listening carefully to what is being said tends to work best for me. When you overthink the situation, you tend to act unnaturally and then potentially portray yourself as difficult or hiding something! Further, if you tend to become more anxious in this type of situation, perhaps try to keep your sentences short and more to the point as opposed to rambling. This paired with the previous point helps put me at ease, and by default, helps me in not sounding too weird!

Firstly make eye contact. Automatically it gives you a sense of purpose and direction. It increases your authority too. You feel more confident and you can project that. You need to talk slow and enunciate every word clearly, dont rush. The moment you rush it is like you're trying to get all your words out and that you think you're not worthy of listening so you need to be slow. Being sure of what you are going to say and know what points you are going to bring up in front of authority is another sure shot way of establishing ground rules and respect.

Having been young in the workforce I often deal with a lot of older more authority figures. I have found that standing tall and acting with confidence and strength comes across well to other people. its Important to speak with full sentences and avoid slang. Keep the conversation straightforward, nodding and showing that you know just as much as they do works well. but also keeping the boundaries of the authority making sure to not disrespect the other person while making sure you also look well spoken. also weirdly enough I've noticed that smiling less works better to be seen as more serious.

Hello there. This is a topic that I have a lot of knowledge on because I have had a lot of experience talking to people in high positions not only at work and school, but in our government in my country. One tip I have is to always sound confident in your tone. If you sound assertive and don't have a lot of "uhms" and "uhhs" in your speech you will sound better when speaking to people in roles of authority. Another tip is to fully think about that you are going to say before saying it out-loud. Hope this helps!

Try and create a talking bond between you and the authority member. Try and talk professional and kind, but also as a friend so that it is not weird and scary. This ensures that you are kind, respectful, but also seem mature and not timid when talking to authority figures. Try and identify pattern that you do when talking to authority such as stuttering and then make it a goal to work on that one specific thing that you are struggling with. Then notice how you talk to a friends, and try to incorporate that into how you talk to authority.

You can sound less awkward and weird by just talking in a calm and collective voice, and addressing them by “sir” or “ma'am”. It could also help if you don't look like you've seen a ghost, and look at them with a calm look, not looking intimidated.

It's important to remember that you are a person and deserve basic decency and respect. I find it hard to be confident especially in front of people who are respected or in positions of power, but it's important to remember that everyone starts somewhere. Even a country's leader was a child once. As long as you remember your worth, facing authority will be easier. You will make mistakes, so learning to forgive yourself will help you acknowledge them and brush them off, instead of internalizing them and growing more fearful or upset (which, in my experience, makes me cringe down and forget how to talk at all - not what we want!) Listen attentively and use respectful language. You don't have to thank them or apologize repeatedly, because that gets tiring and distracts you from the conversation. Most importantly, it takes practice. It's okay if you get it wrong the first couple of times.

Remember that everyone is human. Even authority figures were once children, teenagers, and might have gone through similar experiences as you! This simple reminder can help you not "sound weird". For example, if you are scared to ask your teacher for a better grade for fear of sounding too anxious or stressed, remind yourself that your teacher was once in your position. Your teacher once asked for help or for extra credit, too. Pretend you are asking an older friend, rather than someone who has authority over you. Also, make sure to take a deep breath and approach them with confidence.

Some people have anxiety or concerns about speaking to authority or about how they sound when they speak to authority. This is a common, though thoroughly unpleasant experience. How you act in such a scenario certainly depends upon your goals and what you hope to come (or not come) of the interaction. One potential solution is to try to remain calm and respectful, like you might in any other conversation. Metaphorically, put your best foot forward, but also remember you are speaking to a person, and grant them the same dignity and respect you would grant any person. You're not required to treat them as anything more than a person simply because of whatever job they've taken, but you're not expected to treat them as anything less, either. At the end of the day, you are two people speaking to one another, and both sides of that equation should strive to recognize the humanity in the other. Granted, that may or may not happen, and sometimes we must hold ourselves to the higher standard so as not to stoop the low behavior of others.

Stay calm and collected, sometimes even a smile or a laugh can turn an awkward moment into a funny memory :) Try to talk to them as casual as possible without taking away from respect, so you don't feel so unnatural using words you normally wouldn't. Thinking of them as a friend that you look up to, especially if they are nice and treat you well, can help you get rid of the weirdness you feel around them. If you don't know them well, maybe talking to them a bit more can help you understand what they expect from you as an authority so you can act accordingly.

Talk to them like they are just another person, just as you are. You’re talking to them for a good reason and probably need help. It’s their job to help. No one should ever make you feel bad or guilty for seeking an authority figure. Focus on what you need instead of how it may sound. Usually people are trained to help those in need, they understand that people are nervous when speaking to authority figures. They were once in the same position that you were in, so if they treat you badly it’s not your fault and they shouldn’t.

I'm not sure what constitutes sounding weird, but I think it is best when talking to authority if you present your opinions and situation/ overall topic in a polite and formal manner. Try to understand what the authority is looking and asking for to properly communicate, and this will help with the politeful aspect of conversing. I think it is also best to try and be friendly with authority, where you are happy to talk to them rather than seeming intimidated. After all, they are in positions of authority in order to help manage and help people such as you and I.

By remembering that a person with authority has it because they either earned it or it was given to them. Which means, they are just like you and are doing the best they can as well. Further, remember, that you are an authority about yourself, that whatever they are telling you, maybe a projection of their own insecurites. Authority figures are people, people do well, they make mistakes and they can help you when you ask them do. Authority doesn't mean they are better than you. It means they have been placed into a position of power and they need to wield it for the benefit of those around them including you. Plus if they misuse their authority, go to someone above them, to help you with your situation.

This one's tough! I also struggle with talking to authority a lot. Whenever I try my best to be as casual and calm as possible, I sometimes feel like it makes me look more incriminating! What I try to do is view authority as someone like a cashier. I do my best to show them respect, out of both safety and admiration, but I try not to make a lot of small talk or unnecessary actions; they're quite busy! It's a hard line to tread between being open and kind while holding back enough without making it awkward, but I'm sure they'll appreciate the effort!

Show respect and be well spoken. Stand up for yourself and don't let your human rights be trumped over. Always try your best to be concise, coherent, and talk in a manner that shows literacy, knowledge and general familiarity with societal norms. Say things like "Thank you. No, thank you. Mr/Mrs/Prof/Dr" etc. Ask questions in a polite manner and take turns in speaking in an appropriate timing. Listen carefully and think before responding. Stand up straight, look polished and professional, try your best to speak in a non-agressive way if there's no need for it. Show respect to others and expect the same in return.

Think about your words/answer first and to have confidence in what you are saying. Assert yourself and others will feel your confidence shining through as well. Often we don't believe in ourselves or feel that we may say the wrong thing- especially when we're talking to authority figures. However, self confidence and being assured can help you to realise you can be empowered to say what you are thinking. Sounding "weird" in your view may be nervousness or fear of making a mistake. If you practice speaking clearly out loud, collect your thoughts, and have confidence, you will be great!

Be authentic, professional, respectful, and courteous. If you put your best foot forward and perform your duties while keeping a good attitude, it's alright to be yourself. Just let your own unique self shine through! Not need to get overly focused on others' perceptions of you, though, because you cannot control how others will perceive you, and what they will deem to be weird or not. Just do your best, be open to constructive feedback so you can improve, but do to second-guess your personality and quirks, what makes you unique, the very core of you. That is precious, and can be a delight to others to watch you be you! :-)

First, you must try to figure out what might be the reason that you feel this way while talking to them? Do they make you feel inferior by their words or gestures? Do they make you uncomfortable in some way that you start feeling weird? Try to label this weird feeling that you get, that will be the first step to overcome this problem. You can also try some breathing exercises before going in for conversation. That tend to calm you down and your racing thoughts become slower. Also, you can practice the conversation before it actually happens. Planning gives you a sense of control over an unfamiliar situation. So that might help.

When talking to authority, always be honest in every conversation. It's okay to be afraid, that's normal, but answer every question with all honesty to the best of your ability. This assures you that by being honest, you are at peace. Respect the authority figure you are talking to. Be courteous and polite in answering questions and giving out information. The keys to not sounding weird when talking to authority is, honesty, politeness and respect. When you lack these keys you may sound defensive, as if you're hiding something. Or you may be put under suspicious circumstances. If you're not comfortable with the question or situation, say it.

Without knowing what is meant by "weird," I'll respond by saying that weird is okay. So long as you communicate what you need to communicate, it's okay. You can be formal or informal, brief or a little bit more expounding. You can "be yourself," or act out a persona like how introverts do when making phone calls. Just remember this: getting the job done is more important than looking professional. Getting the job done is professional. Don't mind how weird it feels. It only seems weird because you know how you talk when you aren't around authority. But these authority figures, they don't know you. They don't know how you usually are. And if you feel self-conscious appearing not as who you are, well, these authorities don't know your coworkers, either. You blend right in.