3 Communication Keys to Accelerate Your Visibility & Promotion at Work
2 executives have a similar track record and leadership but so often, one gets promoted over the other.
Soft skills are actually power skills.
Let’s say both those executives are making a presentation.
One is rattling data, stiff body language and it just focuses on going through their slides.
The other is leading the room with gravitas, sharing ideas and getting buy in for their vision.
The latter is more likely to succeed because they are better communicators.
In the modern corporate world, the path to career advancement is paved with much more than just hard work and technical skills.
So, how can you enhance your communication skills to propel yourself towards that coveted promotion?
If this resonates with you, click here and book a consultation with me, I will help you overcome any communication challenge you are facing as a team, individual or organization.
Let's delve deeper into these 3 key concepts,
Key #1. Match Your Self Perception & External Perception
There are times when we appreciate ourselves for things but our audience or colleagues think otherwise.
Ask as many people as possible, what do they think about you?
How do they perceive you?
How do they perceive your communication?
Because that will help you to balance and to match that self perception and that external perception to give you a realistic picture.
To get closer to that promotion, you need to match your self perception with your external perception.
Communication is not just about the message you're trying to convey, but it's also about how that message is received and perceived by others.
This involves a level of self-awareness, and often, we may not fully grasp how we come across to others.
Key #2. Ask for Feedback
Don't shy away from asking for feedback about your communication.
This should not just be limited to your immediate colleagues but extend to a wider circle including external stakeholders, suppliers, and even clients if possible.
Their feedback can provide a more well-rounded perspective on your communication style and its effectiveness.
It's also crucial to remember that feedback is not just about identifying weaknesses but also about recognizing strengths.
Knowing what you do well can help you leverage those strengths more effectively.
Let’s take the example of a client of mine,
He was very straightforward, very smart and very fast.
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Because of this, very often, his team, his bosses and stakeholders couldn't connect to his decisions because they were made so fast and were not communicated properly.
No one has the time to emotionally connect to his ideas.
I worked with him to start taking people on the journey to his decision and it changed the entire way he was perceived.
Key #3. Sharing Ideas vs. Sharing Information
Which do you prefer sharing, ideas or information?
Information is something we consume.You write an email. You give a presentation and people read it.
They kind of compartmentalize it, consume it or sometimes discard it.
If you share ideas, you create a common ground.
In the world of communication, the way you present your message can make a significant difference.
While sharing information is necessary, it might not always be engaging or inspiring.
Instead, if you share ideas, you allow others to participate in the thought process, fostering a sense of collaboration and engagement.
When you share ideas, you're not just delivering information; you're inviting others to be part of the process.
My client was a young woman executive who just started in the innovation department and was trying her best to have her team work on a very extensive project.
She collected, wrote and shared all the information but the response was close to zero.
We worked together on how she can present her idea in the middle of the room, much like a painting in a gallery.
This approach allowed everyone to form an opinion and ask questions.
Everybody was sharing ideas that everybody can buy-in to.
At the end, the process made it easier to get the funding for the project and turn her into the position of leading the project towards success
This was a very huge step for her career and it worked out perfectly, bringing her closer to her promotion goal.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we might hit a roadblock in our communication skills development.
In such situations, hiring a communication coach can be extremely beneficial.
An expert's input can help you overcome challenges more quickly and efficiently, accelerating your progress.
Remember, improving communication skills is not a one-time task but a continuous process.
It requires consistent effort, openness to feedback, and a willingness to change and adapt.
The road to effective communication might be challenging, but the rewards it brings are beyond measure.
By focusing on these key aspects, you can significantly enhance your communication skills, which in turn can boost your chances of earning that coveted promotion.
If this resonates with you, click here and book a consultation with me, I will help you overcome any communication challenge you are facing as a team, individual or organization.