Increase Your Value with Better Communication Habits
Do you work for someone else? Unless you’re self-employed, getting along with your boss is a daily consideration. Here are three pet peeves that surface often in my discussions with executives—issues that separate the star performers from those who will be passed over for promotion once again.
1) Rambling, pointless emails:
Get to the point. That’s the first complaint we receive from managers in our communication classes: "My staff takes too long to get to the point—they send four-paragraph emails when a couple of sentences would do." Bosses are not cleaning out their in-boxes for sheer entertainment value. Don’t let your email generate a "So what?" response. Make sure you state a clear next action—either what you plan to do next or what you want the boss to do next.
2) Non-actionable tirades:
Don’t bring a problem and dump it at the boss’s door as if to say, “There! I’ve done MY part!” If you’re the person most familiar with the problem and with the most information available, offer something actionable that will move the staff closer to a solution. If you’re the one battling in the trenches, what’s your recommendation to others who can help?
3) Technical jargon:
Remember that most managers are generalists, not specialists. Don’t get so absorbed in your specialized world that you can’t communicate in layperson’s terms. The most important part of your technical job is being able to "translate" what you’re doing and what you’ve accomplished so that bosses can make intelligent decisions based on your facts, data, opinions, and ideas.
In summary: Use short, actionable emails, be part of the solution, and communicate clearly across departmental lines. Make these three characteristics regular work habits, and you’ll stand out from your less-polished peers.
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