Everybody here is awesome. But because we’re always focused on making everybody else happy, we’re not always great at advocating for ourselves. This extends to advocating for our customers too when dealing with internal stakeholders.
Small changes to communication can lead to much stronger impact.
# 4 Habits to Be Better Communicators
## Apologies
We apologize a lot even when we don’t have anything to apologize for. These apologizes can make it seem like you did something wrong, even when you haven’t. When you hear “I’m sorry” you automatically try to connect it to a mistake. Not only can these apologies shift blame where it doesn’t belong, it can make you seem less confident.
One of the reasons we do this is to acknowledge a pain point. We can do this in a more direct way to have stronger communication.
## Hedging
Hedging is using ambiguous terms to soften the blow of a critique or a request. “I think”, “just”, “I believe” are all forms of this. When using these terms in persuasion, your argument seems softer and weaker. Removing them can persuade people better.
## Fillers
Fillers are the “ums” in life. They make you seem insecure and uncertain. In written communication, you can remove most of them. In verbal communication, you can replace them with a pause or a transition.
## Upspeak
Speaking with an upwards tone at the end makes your sentences sound like questions and can make you seem unsure of yourself. Remove this upwards tone at the end to make your statements seem more certain.
# Do it!
- Pay attention
- Audit your writing
- Record your speech
- Join a public speaking group
- Practice and improve
