It has been said and often appears to be true that woman have to fight twice as hard to earn the same respect and recognition as their male counterparts. This can be especially true with the way women communicate with others. Attitudes which are acceptable in men can often be deemed to be harsh or overly competitive in women. The same issues rise when performing public speaking tasks and this may be why many women struggle to communicate; both in public speaking situations and directly with colleagues.
Many women are prone to apologizing or looking away when talking and this gives the appearance of someone who does not know what they are talking about. There are eight common ways that a woman undermines herself while communicating:
Just
There is no room for just wondering or just wanting to add something. It gives the appearance of an afterthought not an important point which needs to be made. Just should never be used as it diminishes respect from others. As a leader, you mustn’t allow subordinates to outperform you. They’re not in the position to do that, and you must know this.
Actually
Similarly to just this word tells others that you are surprised because you have something to say. In fact, the subject has probably been on your mind for some time and your point is very relevant. Avoid using actually! If you want to make a point, stand up and make it. This may involve public speaking. As an entrepreneur, you cannot avoid holding presentations, and sooner or later you will have to overcome your fright.
Assuming you’re wrong
Whilst trying not to appear arrogant or over confident women will often start a sentence with something along the lines of “you probably know better”. In the process you deflect the importance and relevance of what you are about to say. Be confident that you know your facts and tell others. Don’t let them intimidate you, and remember – you are the leader, not them.
Take a minute
It is common to start a sentence with “just take a minute”. This does not help in the presentation of your facts. It implies that your comment is not really worthy of making but please listen for a moment. Tell people to listen to your idea rather than asking them for a minute. What you have to say is important and worthy of their time.
Questions
A sentence which sounds like a question makes it sound like you are asking for opinions not furnishing everyone with facts. Avoid finishing a sentence in a higher pitch which suggests a sentence. Instead make sure the sentence ends on a lower tone; you will command more respect.
Question versus statement
If you are portraying your opinion in a meeting then it is essential to state that opinion and not to phrase it as a question. If you phrase it as a question then your listeners will not believe you have thought about the issue and come to a possible solution. A statement tells them you have. There are times when a question instead of a statement is relevant. It can be a useful tactic when attempting to convince a group of people the validity of a course of action which they may not want to take.
Punctuation
Nerves can get the better of anyone in a meeting or public speaking role and this can result in a tendency to merge several conditions on top of each other. The effect is a rushed speech which fails to adequately get your message across. Instead, when speaking you should ensure you pause regularly and even stop occasionally for a moment to let the audience absorb the information. Remember you know your subject and have the right to talk about it thoroughly.
Any form of speaking should reflect you as a person. Women tend to speak in a different style to men; usually more collaborative and inviting rather than confrontational. Trying to change your style will detract from your message as you will never be a comfortable public speaker. Instead be true to yourself and speak naturally. This way you will gauge attention, and your audience will want to know more. You can also take help from any speakers from Speaker Bureau. As a business woman, it is vital to have solid speaking capacities in order to attain success and appear believable in front of others.
Many women are prone to apologizing or looking away when talking and this gives the appearance of someone who does not know what they are talking about. There are eight common ways that a woman undermines herself while communicating:
Just
There is no room for just wondering or just wanting to add something. It gives the appearance of an afterthought not an important point which needs to be made. Just should never be used as it diminishes respect from others. As a leader, you mustn’t allow subordinates to outperform you. They’re not in the position to do that, and you must know this.
Actually
Similarly to just this word tells others that you are surprised because you have something to say. In fact, the subject has probably been on your mind for some time and your point is very relevant. Avoid using actually! If you want to make a point, stand up and make it. This may involve public speaking. As an entrepreneur, you cannot avoid holding presentations, and sooner or later you will have to overcome your fright.
Assuming you’re wrong
Whilst trying not to appear arrogant or over confident women will often start a sentence with something along the lines of “you probably know better”. In the process you deflect the importance and relevance of what you are about to say. Be confident that you know your facts and tell others. Don’t let them intimidate you, and remember – you are the leader, not them.
Take a minute
It is common to start a sentence with “just take a minute”. This does not help in the presentation of your facts. It implies that your comment is not really worthy of making but please listen for a moment. Tell people to listen to your idea rather than asking them for a minute. What you have to say is important and worthy of their time.
Questions
A sentence which sounds like a question makes it sound like you are asking for opinions not furnishing everyone with facts. Avoid finishing a sentence in a higher pitch which suggests a sentence. Instead make sure the sentence ends on a lower tone; you will command more respect.
Question versus statement
If you are portraying your opinion in a meeting then it is essential to state that opinion and not to phrase it as a question. If you phrase it as a question then your listeners will not believe you have thought about the issue and come to a possible solution. A statement tells them you have. There are times when a question instead of a statement is relevant. It can be a useful tactic when attempting to convince a group of people the validity of a course of action which they may not want to take.
Punctuation
Nerves can get the better of anyone in a meeting or public speaking role and this can result in a tendency to merge several conditions on top of each other. The effect is a rushed speech which fails to adequately get your message across. Instead, when speaking you should ensure you pause regularly and even stop occasionally for a moment to let the audience absorb the information. Remember you know your subject and have the right to talk about it thoroughly.
Any form of speaking should reflect you as a person. Women tend to speak in a different style to men; usually more collaborative and inviting rather than confrontational. Trying to change your style will detract from your message as you will never be a comfortable public speaker. Instead be true to yourself and speak naturally. This way you will gauge attention, and your audience will want to know more. You can also take help from any speakers from Speaker Bureau. As a business woman, it is vital to have solid speaking capacities in order to attain success and appear believable in front of others.