Maybe the best way to communicate on the job is not to say more, but to say less. According to The New York Times Magazine, one way to build our power in the workplace is to stop talking so much.
Power Poses and Being A Jerk
We often seek ways to “build” our sense of power in the workplace. If we project a sense of power (or confidence) then others trust us more and we are more likely to be able to accomplish our goals. Theories abound on ways to increase our power (or at least the perception of it), including the notion of “power poses,” famously presented in a TED Talk by Amy Cuddy and learning lessons from “jerks” in the workplace , since they sometimes seem to get away with more than, say, non-jerks.
Choose The Best Words. Then Let Them Stand.
But the point that caught my eye is this: one of the best ways to build our power and trustworthiness in the workplace is to be choosy and succinct with our words.
We already know business writing is all about being concise, but now we know that too many words can actually drain our power. “Over-explaining” makes us sound less confident, and less powerful. Unsure of ourselves.
I see it in our written work everyday. We overcompensate with adverbs, like “extremely,” “uniquely,” even “very.” We think that we have to pile them on so that people get the message – but we don’t. Bottom line: To increase your communication power, choose the best possible words, then let them stand.
For Example
Instead of writing “I am (extremely/very/uniquely) qualified,” write “I am qualified.” Then prove it.
Instead of “I feel I may be qualified,” write “I am qualified.” Then prove it.
Instead of “I am afraid I think this problem will be extremely difficult to solve,” write “This problem will be hard to solve.” Then state why.
Read more: Peter Bregman of the Harvard Business Review says: “If You Want People To Listen, Stop Talking [So Much]”
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