About a month ago, Inc. Magazine published an article about Bad Communication Habits. The article is a worthwhile read, and I wanted to share it with my occasional visitor. As you may know Communication is one of the 4 Cs of the C4 Leadership Formula, and I have shared several lengthy posts on the importance of Communication (here, here and here).
As is typically the case, I encourage you to read the article on your own, as I will not rehash it here. The 8 habits are items we are all guilty of on occasion (if not frequently) and it is good to spread awareness regarding this habits.
Sadly, what I will say is that these Communication habits are prevalent, but also very surface level. The information found in this article can be found in dozens of other places online, and the suggestions of the author amount to: "Stop IT!"
Instead, I offer a direct suggestion that could help with several (if not all) of these Communication habits: Toastmasters.
Toastmasters is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of improving Communication and Leadership skills. It is (typically) a safe place to practice Communication skills (not just Public Speaking) and bring awareness to patterns / habits in your Communication style.
There are thousands of clubs worldwide. I would recommend visiting a few clubs before settling on one, as although each club operates by the same format, each club will be different in personality and skill level. Find a place where you are comfortable, and where there are people you can learn from. You don't want to start as the big fish in the little pond!
There you will gain awareness of your filler words, floundering, qualifiers, and a multitude of other things. Remember, Communication is a C because it is Critical to Leadership Success. We can always improve!
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