Communication matters when it comes to being promoted or getting a raise. In fact, there is a direct correlation between the two.
So, can poor communication ruin your career? Depending on how “bad” it is, yes it can. Communication is a critical soft skill for a successful career.
Most people’s communication can use some improvement which will, in turn, put you in a better place for career advancement.
The thing about communication is that it’s not just about the words you say. While they are important, what you say only accounts for 7% of your communication. Body language, tone, and other factors make up the rest.
Here are three tips to improve communication so you can advance in your career.
3 Communication Tips to Advance Your Career
1. Don’t Ask for Your Bosses Opinion or Feedback
If you want your bosses help advancing your career, don’t ask for their opinion or feedback.
Why? It elicits a critical response, where they’re just focusing on the things you are doing wrong or struggling with.
Instead, you want to prompt a positive response by asking for their advice instead. The word “advice” will push them to think of positive feedback and help explore ideas to support your career advancement.
2. Watch Your Tone
Most people do not have professional voice training and are unaware of their tone or how they sound to someone else.
But your voice is an instrument and is capable of being trained and adjusted. If you become aware of your tone and how you sound, you can make some beneficial adjustments.
Many women speak quickly and in a higher-pitched tone, which are not perceived as confident. Research found that both men and women with lower voices were seen as more authoritative.
You don’t need to start “speaking like a man” and put on a fake voice, but you can use the full range of tone available to you and start slowing down. This will be perceived as more confident and help you reach your career advancement goals.
3. Understand Body Language
This is the single most powerful communication tool we have. Just think—if someone says “yes” but shakes their head “no,” what do you register? The “no!”
Something simple like standing with good posture is shown to boost confidence, a key characteristic to help you earn a promotion. And when you feel more confident, you’ll be perceived as more confident and capable.
Things like fidgeting or shrinking back will do the opposite—people will see your lack of confidence and not want to give you a promotion or raise. And in that case, it doesn’t even matter what you’re saying—your lack of confidence is visible in your body language and speaks louder than words.
Click on the video below to learn more….!
Communication is the foundation of your career advancement opportunities. And poor communication may be the thing that’s holding you back from that next great role! So, try these three tips today and keep building your confidence through practice.
If you’ve been striving for a promotion or raise for a long time but just aren’t getting anywhere, I invite you to join my masterclass, My Promotion Plan Blueprint. It’s designed to help women go from past over to promotion in record time.
