By Mary Foley
Do you feel like you might be struggling to get the respect and credit you deserve? In today’s business world, we constantly work to establish ourselves; as a brand, an expert and a credible part of the proverbial pie and it’s easy to start falling back on powerLESS behaviours that are counter -intuitive to our very goals of gaining that upper hand. Every day at work and in life, we may do simple verbal and non-verbal behaviours that erode their personal power without even realizing it. If you think this maybe you, read on to learn some of the ways you could be sabotaging your own accent.
The following are 5 of the biggest offenders that may be limiting your influence in the workplace.
You Don’t Look Directly When Speaking Or Listening
You may have a tendency to glance at people’s eyes and quickly look away. But your eyes speak volumes. Instead, when talking look directly into people’s eyes and hold that pose. When listening, do the same. The person speaking will notice and be positively influenced by your interest.
You End Sentences with a Question Mark
Many people bring their voice up at the end of a sentence, making it feel like a question and that they are unsure of themselves. Don’t make others wonder if you’re competent. Focusing on ending sentences with a drop in your voice. This communicates you’re making a statement with confidence. Don’t you think?
Play With Your Hair
You may not even notice that you’re playing with your hair, but such gestures often signal that you’re uncertain, feeling intimidated or nervous. Playing with your hair also connotes being flirtatious which is a major distraction. Plus, if you want to be taken seriously, this sends the wrong message.
You Over Explain
Follow Katharine Hepburn’s advice to gain respect in Hollywood – “Don’t over-explain, don’t over-complain.” Time and again a competent, intelligent person explains to the nth degree about a situation including who said what, who did what, then what happened, and on and on. As a result, her stature and power seep out of the room. It’s far more powerful to state the situation simply, focusing on key factors and results. Let others ask follow-up questions about any details they need.
You Thinks Appearance Does not Matter
Given today’s more casual workplace, it’s easy to think that your appearance doesn’t matter. It does. Ill-fitting, outdated clothes can communicate you have less energy and are less effective. In her book Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers, author Lois P. Frankel, Ph.D., says that “about 55% of your credibility comes from how you look.” And according to a study in the American Economic Review, “Women who wear makeup earn up to 30 percent more than those who ‘can’t be bothered.” So, hiring an image consultant could easily pay for itself.
About Mary Foley
Boring events take too much time, cost too much money, and fall too short in creating real impact. Using hard-earned insights, light-hearted humor, and creativity I energize women’s careers and events to create experiences professional women crave. Wearing a red cape helps.
Get more tips from Mary Foley’s blog at www.maryfoley.com.