Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Talking Too Much Kills Careers
It seems obvious that talking too much can kill your career. Or, does it? Aren’t leaders supposed to communicate – and communicate often – with their staff in an effort to promote trust and teamwork? Answer: It depends.
Your gift of gab can:
• Establish rapport more readily
• Build customer loyalty
• Influence decisions for the greater good of the team
Done poorly, it can also limit your likeability, pressure people, and unhinge job interviews if you blabber without focus. If you suspect a need to break a Talking-Too-Much habit, figure out when and why it’s happening. Here’s what to do:
1. Keep in mind what the listener wants to hear.
• Filter your answers. It isn’t necessary to give ALL your thoughts on a topic.
• Very few people want to know every single little detail!
• If they do, they will ask.
Example: At a staff meeting, your colleague asks where you got your information for a report. You say, “Most of it came from the Accounting Department.” There is no need to tell why you chose Accounting, how many other departments you asked, the amount of hours it took you, when you completed the report, etc.
2. Be direct; rather than talking around the issue.
• Say what you need to say in as few words as possible.
• Practice speaking concisely without losing the core message.
• Watch your voice quality (pitch, tone, volume, rhythm) when speaking a shorter message. You don’t want to sound too abrupt.
Example: Instead of saying, “I was just thinking that if you have some time and are not busy, we should get together sometime next week.” Change that wandering sentence to, “Let’s get together next week.”
3. Stop repeating what others have already said.
• In a group setting, reiterating or paraphrasing what someone else has said when you clearly understand their meaning, can come across as condescending.
• Refer to their point only if there is a direct connection to yours.
Example: Instead of saying, “Tom said we need to update all customer profiles by November 30th because December is too busy with holiday orders. It seems that every year we get stuck with more work to do during the holiday order season.” Change that to, “I agree customer profiles need to be change before the holiday rush to eliminate extra work.”
4. Cease talking when you shouldn’t.
• Watch for cues from others around you that a conversation is wrapping up. Pay attention to when the discussion is over.
• Write reminder notes to yourself. One manager I know puts the letters KIS (a prompt to Keep It Short) on his paperwork before speaking.
• Before adding your comments during a meeting ask yourself, “Do I really need to say this?”
The correct amount of communication is key to your career advancement. Too much can be seem as arrogant, aggressive, and even demeaning. Too little is suspect; like you are trying to cover up something. Strike a good balance with both hearing and listening to the conversations around you.
Until next time...Lead like you mean it!
Marjorie