Are you looking for a promotion in 2013? Are you having a hard time moving up? Try speaking up!
Despite the hard work we may put into our current job, there are still barriers that may impede our upward mobility, such as:
1) Perception of being a great technician but not a leader.
2) Unseen value of our work.
3) Low credibility.
If you are confident that you’re the person for the job, you should not let these barriers mark your end. Believe it or not, you can remedy most, if not all, by improving the way you communicate. Our communication leaves a lasting impression on decision makers. Enhanced communicative skills can set us apart through the following:
1) The demonstration of higher-level communication ability.
2) The visibility of worth.
3) Strengthened credibility.
Leaders know how to convey their ideas to a wide demography of people. While technicians can orchestrate codes, leaders orchestrate people with language seasoned to taste. Because the higher you go, the more you will be dealing with people rather than computers, you’ll want to be able to demonstrate this skill when talking to a decision maker. Communication sets leaders apart from technicians.
You may be doing a lot of work, but so is your home heating unit. I don’t believe you pay much attention to the amount of work that unit is doing either. However, should you start freezing at night because the unit stopped working, it would get your immediate attention. The point is we, as people, don’t pay much attention to input, but we are very motivated by output that directly impacts us. Effective communicators are able to articulate the value of their work and remind their leaders how cold it would be without their efforts.
You may have heard the saying “perception is reality.” How you are perceived by people will generally become their reality of you. If that is the case, then you want to be sure to be perceived as credible. Great communicators tend to be perceived as credible as opposed to their counterparts. Great communicators come across as more confident, knowledgeable and influential. The higher you want to move up, the more of a requirement these traits are. By the way, if you are not a trustworthy person, people will eventually see through any front you put on.
If you want to make an investment in your communication in 2013, below are five tips:
1) Read books on effective communication.
2) Read other books to build vocabulary.
3) Watch your use of grammar, and use lively language that appeals to your audience.
4) Join a communication group, like Toastmasters.
