Reading this article, 3 Simple Tips to Achieving Success in Any Career, I found some great career tips to share.
“Relationships come first,” Jeff said. “Content comes second.”
Now, this is the exact opposite of what the majority of folks in the midst of their career think. And it’s the opposite of what I believe our universities teach. Think about it, most of us focus 100% on skills, experience, CONTENT. Don’t think you do this? Have you ever said to yourself, “my working hard is all I need to do to get rewarded with that promotion or raise.” Or, “Just keep your head in and focus on the job.” These are really similar comments I hear from my clients all the time. And these are clients are saying this in total shock, when they are unemployed and realizing this is NOT TRUE.
In the job search, we talk about “networking,” but let’s face it. By the time you are in a job search situation, you’ve wasted too many valuable opportunities.
One of the most important life skills I think is most ignored by our US workforce society: COMMUNICATION. Yes, this includes speaking in front of large groups, but it also includes 1-on-1 interactions. Even more, it includes non-verbal communication, and understanding how to get your own message across to another person. I’ve realized that skill alone is vastly underrated! (The need for this has spawned probably most of the great books in the relationship world – such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus!)
You cannot build good professional/career relationships if you aren’t good at communicating!
Thankfully, this is a skill that can be LEARNED. You can be the most introverted person in the world, and improve your communication skills! Here are a few steps you can implement today and implement for yourself:
- Join Public Speaking/Debate Groups
- Having a Mentor (taking directions/advice/feedback, learning to communicate needs)
- Being a Mentor (teaching is an invaluable way to figure out how to communicate information more effectively)
- Writing Courses (improving written communication skills)
- Sales training (Most folks recoil from this, but I have found that sales training has helped me hone my speaking points and focus on how to make them understood.)
- Constant practice (Practice makes perfect! Getting out of your house or cubicle and talking to people regularly.)
- DISC behavioral style coaching – Finally, this is one of my personal favorites! Getting to know your own behavioral type can be very helpful in understanding your own communication style, AND ALSO the communication styles of the person talking to! I use this every single day myself. It is extremely important to make sure that your message is perceived the way you mean it to be.
Be sure to contact me at JulieMendez@jsmcareercoaching.com so that we can create your own personal plan to improve your own communication skills. And feel free to share your own communication tips here!
(To read part 2 of this series, click here.)
