3 Keys To Leverage Your Communication For Maximum Impact

What are the most important attributes to you? What inspires and encourages you to hire, trust, and build rapport with someone? Do?you?reflect the same attributes that you respect in others? Leveraging your communication in the right way, can maximize your impact and is essential in supporting and enhancing your success.

To leverage your communication, it requires that you are self-aware and intentional. Self-aware of your communication habits - the ones that are serving you well as well as those that are unconsciously undermining you - and intentional about the choices you make surrounding your communication. Your communication habits can strengthen or detract from your credibility and, therefore, the perception that others form of you. The perception surrounding your credibility can mean the difference between your professional success and stagnation.

So, let’s dive more deeply into credibility.

What is Credibility?

What words come to mind when you hear the word ‘credibility’??How would you define being ‘credible’? Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines credibility as “the ability to inspire belief.” Therefore, in its base terms, credibility is synonymous with trustworthiness. I interpret this to mean the ability to inspire belief, and therefore, trust in one’s own abilities and self.

We all know people who are highly competent. Some of these individuals may also be underhanded, sneaky, or with little to no moral compass. Do you trust them fully? Probably not. There are also those who have the best of intentions, have the highest work ethic, and are always above board. They may also only be okay at their jobs. Do you fully trust them to represent you well to leadership or speak on your behalf to one of your largest clients? Not so much.

Therefore, there are three key components you want to consider when reflecting?your?credibility and assessing others’ visibility on it - Your competence, your character, and your dynamism.

Which of these components do you do well? Which might need more of your focus?

Communicating Your Competence

Competence is your capability; your ability to do the job well.

When it comes to communicating competence, it can be challenging. Many women feel they exist within a meritocracy and that someone will notice how well they do their jobs, or how hard they are working, and reward them. So, they don’t actively communicate their competence and, in fact, may shy away from self-advocacy or personal-promotion altogether. Many end up getting disappointed when they are not recognized for their contributions.

Other individuals make sure to consistently articulate how much they do, which can sometimes comes across as bragging or arrogance. How?you communicate your competence is critical.

Communicating Your Character

Character is your intentions, value, morals, and belief system.

In order for others to know your character, you want to actively make choices that allow that character to shine through. Consider your core values and think about how you can reflect those values through your interactions as well as the decisions you make and the actions you take. For me, some of the core values that make up the fiber of who I am include: fairness, justice, graciousness, honesty, volunteerism, sincerity, helping the underdog, giving 1000% to anything I undertake, perseverance, determination, and keeping my word.

What do you want others to know about your character? What are you going to lead with?

Communicating Dynamism

Dynamism is the ability to be engaging and create interest around what you are saying and doing.

What is important to remember about credibility, is if no one knows your competence or sees your character, how can you be seen as credible? You can’t; the trustworthiness has no foundation to stem from.

Add on top of this, if the person lacks dynamism, speaks in a monotone voice, lectures versus makes meetings interactive, or reads from the slide deck instead of speaking to the audience, you are left underwhelmed. True or false? It’s not fair, it’s not right, it’s reality.

One main strategy, for making sure that you are focusing on your credibility and reflecting it to others, is being visible, approachable, connected, and consistent.

Did you catch this month's LinkedIn Live?

We had the pleasure of connecting with Dan Malinowski who has worked at an Ivy League University for over 25 years, and over his career has held various roles with increasing responsibility in?Finance,?Technology,?and?Human Resources. In his current role, Dan is responsible for managing a significant technology spend, covering vendor management, finance and accounting.?Additional duties under Dan’s oversight of?business operations?include Human Resources and Office Operations. Dan’s current role is both strategic and operational, and ensures that organizational goals are well defined and optimally executed in alignment with University policies.

Throughout the conversation, we gained insight into:

?Dan's?leadership?style and what he's experienced to be effective vs. non-effective

?His point of view on achieving?work-life balance and what that truly looks like

?Strategies for maximizing communication with senior leadership

?And much more!

Click here to catch the full replay: https://bit.ly/3thSYuD?

Sometimes seasoned?employees?are perceived as stuck in their "old school" ways. Not being connected to cutting-edge?technology, having no clue about social media, not being open to trying things a different way, and not being able to relate to the?language,?likes, and?vision?of?younger generations are stereotypes that often get thrown around with older employees.?Regardless of how others view us, we all need to be aware not to alienate ourselves or unconsciously isolate others.?Click here for six strategies you can use to avoid being seen as out of touch.

Achieve the next level of success by mastering today’s most powerful communication strategies - and avoiding common pitfalls. Order your copy of The Communication Habit today – available in Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook.

ABOUT LAURA KATEN

Laura Katen is the Founder/President of KATEN CONSULTING, a NY-based professional development training company that specializes in 4 core areas: Executive Presence, Communication, Presentation Strategies, and Business & Social Etiquette. KATEN CONSULTING is a 100% Certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), facilitating Keynote Talks, Group Programs, and One-On-One Coaching Sessions. Laura is a published author of two books,?How to Communicate With Confidence, Clarity, and Credibility, and?The Communication Habit: Strategies That Set You Apart and Leave a Lasting Impression?? McGraw Hill