Are These Three Bad Communication Habits Blocking Your Promotion?
There are three dangerous communication habits that will prevent you from getting ahead in your career.
What exactly are they?
The first is always saying "uh," "um," and "ah" while speaking.
You: "Well, ah, the, um, report was done yesterday; I mean, um, Tuesday, at, uh, 3 p.m."
Your boss: "You're fired".
Just joking!
For those of you who struggle with this, don't worry; I've got your solution below.
The First Dangerous Communication Habit
What you need to know is that these are filler words that most brothers use to "fill in the gaps" or to give themselves time to think about their next sentence or idea.
It's a dangerous habit that should be defeated because it makes you sound uncertain, unsure, and unclear.
Are you wondering if this is you?
Take note of yourself in your next conversation to see if this is something you do.
I've worked with over 500 corporate brothers, and fortunately, only a handful of them have this dangerous communication habit.
Most guys are crystal clear.
You may be in this small group of people who think this communication habit isn't noticeable. However, it could be changing how people see your leadership skills and costing you raises and promotions.
When you clean it up, you will sound clearer, and your staff will be more confident in your leadership because they will understand you better.
The Solution
One of the easy ways to do this is to pause slightly after each sentence to think about the next sentence or idea you want to communicate. It will only take your mind a second to generate the next sentence for you to deliver. This tool can be used to completely remove unwanted filler words.
Get a speech coach if you need one. If you need to practice in front of the mirror, do so. Begin working with a BEM coach if you need assistance.
The Second Dangerous Communication Habit
The second dangerous communication habit I notice is speaking too quickly.
I say it's dangerous because speaking too quickly can make you look anxious, nervous, or not in control.
You want to be fully charged at work.
Think about the communication speed of the most recent Presidents of the United States that we've had:
Biden
Trump
Obama
Bush
Clinton
Bush
Reagan
Carter
Did any of them speak fast?
No.
In fact, they were likely coached to slow down their speed in order for the masses to understand them better.
Think about the communication style of the CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, or the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai.
These guys talk at moderate speeds as well.
YouTube it for yourself.
This doesn't mean you have to be an emotionless robot or lack passion, but you may need to slow down your speaking in order to lock in your full power.
Don't you want to have that experience?
Others, believe it or not, do as well.
Reduce the speed of your communication to a metered rate. Don't go too slowly, but if you notice yourself speaking faster than others around you, you should slow down.
Being able to do so increases your executive presence. It is taken away if you speak too quickly.
The Third Dangerous Communication Habit
The last one is to ask whether the other person understands you, whether you are communicating clearly, or if you should explain yourself again in case they didn't understand.
Asking it once is fine, but not repeatedly.
Just don't do it.
Some guys do this repeatedly, and it is a buzzkill to the conversation.
If you say these things, you will seem less sure of your natural ability to talk and be understood. You're intelligent, and you're both speaking English, so they should be able to understand you just fine.
The confident solution is to assume that the other person understands what you're saying and trust that they'll ask for clarification if necessary.
If you are ready to take your career to the next level, contact me today for a free coaching consultation at: www.blackexecutivemen.com
Jewel Edward Love, Jr.
Founder & Executive Coach
How about not listening?
Innovative and Experienced Health Care Leader
1yVery good information to consider. Thank you.