“Well, here’s my opinion about that…”

“Well, here’s my opinion about that…” Do you ever feel your shoulders tense when you hear that phrase? I do!

I’ve noticed I have a visceral, negative reaction to self-described “opinionated people.” It’s not that I don’t value strong perspectives—quite the opposite.
But when someone leads with “Here’s my opinion,” it often lands as competitive, rigid, or even dismissive. There's an undertone of superiority that can shut down meaningful conversation before it starts.

What’s the alternative?

- A thoughtful question.
- An affirmation of someone else's experience.
- An invitation to explore the topic together.
- A willingness to be curious—not just right.

Of course, this could just be my own opinion (see what I did there?). But I believe that in a world full of noise and quick takes, how we share matters as much as what we share.

As leaders, colleagues, and humans, we always have a choice: Do we want to be right, or do we want to be connected?

What’s your experience with “opinionated” communication? Does it spark dialogue—or defensiveness?