6 situations where you need to keep your mouth shut
ICTN (Int'l Consulting & Training Network)
![ICTN (Int'l Consulting & Training Network)]()
ICTN (Int'l Consulting & Training Network)
ICTN International Consulting and Training Network
- At the beginning of a speech. This might sound weird, but it helps especially with a tough crowd. When you first come onto the stage or stand in front of an audience, remain quiet for a few seconds. It will certainly make the crowd stop talking among themselves. They will be a bit confused and turn their full attention towards you. Already you have gained their attention more than any engaging opening line that might not even get heard. It will also win you plenty of sympathy. They won’t think that you are using it as a tactic. Part of the crowd will be sympathetic because they think you are nervous. They will be rooting for you the rest of the speech. Those who will be snickering will soon have those sneers washed off their faces when you go on to make an amazing speech. While it may seem a bit manipulative, it works.
- Someone else gets credit. The business world is a cruel place to be in. People who want to get ahead will sometimes do anything including stealing other people’s work. It can be your boss who ignores all the hard work done by the team and reaps the rewards. It can be that coworker who heard you thinking aloud or read your notes. Then they went ahead and pitched the idea as their own. You must be very careful about speaking up in these situations. Unless your boss is a fair person that neglected to mention the team, don’t speak up. Chances are they will zero in on you as the bad guy. Instead try to wait for a chance to prove yourself. And if it’s a coworker, it will be your word against theirs. It can do more damage to your reputation to speak up and make you seem jealous. So unless you have hard evidence, remain quiet.
- When you ask about something. Some people love to ask questions that they never want an answer for. They are just asking you as an opening for them to launch into a long narration of what they think the answer should be. Don’t be one of those people! You might be doing it without even noticing. This is especially true when you have an answer but still have some small doubts. So you go ahead and ask your boss and coworker wanting them to confirm what you said. And if they don’t, you start questioning their logic and try to persuade them about your point. Never ask a question unless you are open to any answer that might come. Listen closely to what is being said and try to analyze it fairly and objectively. Do not interrupt them with your own preconceived notions
- It’s not your fight. Picking your foes is just as critical as choosing your allies. Having a solid network is something indispensable, so you need to be on good terms with as many people as possible. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to be a hypocrite that says something to one person and another to someone else. It’s about choosing the right thing to say to others, and in many cases saying nothing at all. When there is some sort of conflict happening, think about what side you will take. You want to be supportive and close to those who work with you, but you need to think about the future as well. If you are well aware that a friend of yours made a mistake, you shouldn't always rush to their defense. It sounds harsh, but that is how the world works. You can help them fix the mess later and show as much support as possible without hurting your reputation.
- When you are bragging. No one wants to stand around listening to someone brag about their accomplishments. Your friends will be happy for you if something good happened. They will happily listen to you talk about it. After all, no recognition is easily gained these days. What they and others cannot stand is hearing about it all the time. It will end up hurting you because some people will start to resent you and your success. It’s a great tool for others to use against you. When people are no longer sympathetic with you, it’s very easy to turn them against you. You want people to think and know you are a success, but you don’t want labels such as conceited attached to your name.
- You don’t have a clue. There is no shame in admitting that you don’t know everything about everything. No matter how well-read you are, there will always be certain topics that have escaped you. Faking knowledge just to avoid being ridiculed is a risky business. You can easily be caught in the middle of a lie. Worse, you could be given tasks and responsibilities that you are incapable of handling. You will then have to work really hard to get them done and add so much stress to your life. You don’t actually have to be vocal about your missing knowledge. Simply stand there and nod in agreement. If you sense the topic to be of use for you, then go and read about it later.