Common Sense Ideas for Becoming the Career Star You Are Meant to Be

Today is Thursday, so this post is on communication skills.

I was reviewing some back issues of The Office Professional the other day, and I came across a great piece entitled 4 Ways to Improve Verbal Agility.  I think it’s worth sharing here…

4 Ways to Improve Verbal Agility

1. Get rid of unnecessary words and phrases.  Eliminate unnecessary fillers such as “um”, “like”, and “you know”.  Speak more precisely and succinctly.  You may speak less, but what you say will have greater impact.
2. Expand your vocabulary.  Expanding you vocabulary will make it easier for you to find the exact word to express what you mean.  Expand your vocabulary by looking up one new word in the dictionary every day.  Then look for opportunities to use that word.  Choose words that are fairly common, so that others will understand you.
3. Get to the point.  Avoid long winded prefaces.  For example, by the time you say something like, “I was driving to work this morning, and while I was stuck in traffic, I was thinking about our project and had a good idea for solving our problem…” the other person has probably lost interest.  Instead, say something like, “I have an idea for solving the problem we were discussing yesterday.”
4. Eliminate disclaimers when offering your opinion.  Don’t shoot yourself down by saying things like “this is only my opinion…” or “for what it’s worth…” before making your point.  Offer your ideas enthusiastically and confidently and others will take them seriously.

These are some great common sense ideas for becoming verbally agile – and verbal agility is an important communication skill.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for reading.  Log on to my website www.BudBilanich.com for more common sense.  Check out my other blog: www.CommonSenseGuy.com for common sense advice on leading people and running a small business.

I’ll see you around the web, and at Alex’s Lemonade Stand.

Bud

PS: Speaking of Alex’s Lemonade Stand – my fundraising page is still open.  Please go to www.FirstGiving.com/TheCommonSenseGuy to read Alex’s inspiring story and to donate if you can.