Communicate Your Way to the Top

What makes one person destined for success over others who seem stuck in low-level jobs?

Last week I was in a meeting with one of our senior vice presidents, and I couldn’t help wondering -- why is he so successful in his career? Sure, you could analyze his education, life and career experience, but what fun is that?  Instead I came to the conclusion that his success is related to his speaking ability. He was very well spoken and handled a few sarcastic questions without flinching. He made great eye contact and really made you feel like your question mattered to him. In fact, most senior managers I’ve met could work a crowd with the best of them.

If you think about it, how many job descriptions have you read that include the words “needs excellent communication skills ”? So if you’re not a good communicator, should you throw in the towel and become a librarian? No way. 

While some people are naturally better at getting their point across, you can learn to communicate effectively with practice and awareness of your verbal and nonverbal cues.

Some things to remember:

• Always make eye contact. When speaking to a group, make sure you look at all participants.

• Listen effectively. This is extremely important in capturing your audience’s trust.

• Don’t answer questions impulsively. Make sure you understand the question and then respond.

• Remember that first impressions can be brutal, so make your first words count.

Here are some other tips for communicating well. Remember: you’re only as good as people think you are.

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