Five Communication Mistakes That Are Holding You Back - Deepstash
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Failing to ask for clarification

Failing to ask for clarification

Not asking for clarification because of fear of looking incompetent in front of authority.

FIX: If you don't understand what success looks like, ask for clarification, specifics or examples. If you ask well-informed questions, you'll look a whole lot smarter than if you execute incorrectly.

457

1.09K reads

Not framing your remarks

In general, the higher up the audience, the less detail you should be providing. Frequently, executives get tuned out when they report to higher levels and provide too much detail about their topic.

FIX: Cater your comments to the highest level person in the room, and address what he or she will find valuable. Put the details in an appendix or have them ready so they're available, and you can easily pull them out if asked.

343

752 reads

Littering your speech with qualifiers

Using qualifiers such as "I think" or "we might" or "I hope to" before your points. It lacks confidence.

FIX: Start paying attention to how you use language, and if you're hiding behind qualifiers. Tape yourself or ask a colleague to take note of when you use them, and find a comfortable phrase to replace them such as "I plan to" or "I will."

421

802 reads

Being negative to appear analytical

This norm serves a great purpose in that bad ideas can be debated and debunked. However, it also kills a lot of good ideas as well. 

FIX: Stop yourself from first pointing out what's wrong in a situation, and make it a habit to jump to what's right instead. 

If an idea is simply rotten, say how much you appreciate the thought or effort, and explain why you feel it falls short and how it can be improved. If you kill it, provide an alternative.

367

685 reads

Being overly agreeable

This occurs when we want so much to be a likable team player that we come across as a yes person. Every idea is great, each deadline is possible, and new projects are all upside.

FIX: When you find yourself tempted to state agreement even though you don't feel it, express your true opinion. You can still say this politely, and rather than simply say what you can't do, let the person know what you can do, and believe to be the best solution for all.

356

673 reads

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Deep thinker. Like talking about the world, religion and politics.

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