people notice you. Give credit to others
where credit is due, but don’t overly
compliment or repeatedly recognize
others—especially when you have contributed to the project’s success.
6 Pause. Give people a chance to think for a second about what
you’ve said before you continue.
This will position you as a thoughtful
speaker;who;is;comfortable;and;confi-dent in your delivery of information.
7 Ask challenging questions. Demonstrate that you will not take
things at face value. Continually strive
to obtain as much information as possible to accurately understand issues and
make informed business decisions.
8 Delegate. There is a difference between delegating and doing. It’s
always important to help people, but
that doesn’t mean doing their work
for them.
9 Manage the message. Avoid too much detail when speaking to colleagues. Get to the point quickly. Most
people do not want to hear a lot of historical perspective and background.
10 Be direct. State your main point up front so you deliver a clear,
concise message. By getting to the point
quickly, you can better address concerns
and persuade others to see your point
of view.
11Stand tall. Positive body language draws positive attention. Stand
tall, make steady direct eye contact,
offer;a;firm;handshake;and;speak;in;a
strong, clear voice. When speaking to
a group, stand still when making a sig-nificant;point;and;project;to;the;back;of
the room for more oomph.
12 Have a heart.;Being;firm;and efinite;doesn’t;mean;you;have
to be rude or nasty. Always be polite
and use tact when questioning or challenging others’ opinions. It will help
you foster conversation and put people
at ease so you can create an atmosphere
of trust and open dialogue.
By implementing these steps at all
levels—from the mailroom clerk to
the CEO—you can create your own
authentic style. Then, others will view
you;as;a;self-confident;and;sincere
leader they want to follow.
Karen Friedman is an international communications adviser
who has worked with executives on four continents. She is
president of Karen Friedman
Enterprises, Inc., and helps business
professionals and spokespeople excel in every
meeting, appearance, interview and presentation. For more information, visit www.
karenfriedman.com or call (610) 292-9780.
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