#4 Power Plays for Women: STRONG COMMUNICATION

You know the Fed Ex commercial where the boss steals the employee’s idea? He justifies the theft because he re-states the idea in a slightly different way. Many women feel like this, and there’s a reason: We tend to weaken our communication and get steam-rolled. Here are some solutions to help us stop this negative behavior, be heard, and very possibly make more money and enhance our credibility.

It’s our gift to squander.

Don’t despair, we CAN do this ladies.  We come by it naturally. As Louann Brizendine, author of “The Female Brain” says: There is almost nothing more important to the female brain than relationships. This is due to our two “x” chromasomes versus the male x and y. So, we value communication as a vehicle to relationship-building. Now, it’s time to strengthen our communication.

Common communication weakeners

Take this quiz:

1. Do you say “I think” or “I feel” in your sentences?

2. Do you allow others to interrupt you?

3. Do you fail to take credit for your work in a group professional or academic setting?

4. Do you start your thoughts with, “I don’t know if this matters, but….” or something similar?

 

Being aware is the first step.

If you are guilty of one or more of these communication “weakeners,” keep reading. Don’t worry, however, being aware is the first step. Here is an exercise we do in my Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership class at the George Washington University School of Business:

 

An Exercise. Go out about your business and, for one day, make note of how many times you engage in a specific communication weakener:  I think, I feel, collusion (collusion = Letting others interrupt, not taking credit, in business/class contexts).

 

Why is this important? You don’t ask, you don’t get.

Aside from assertive communication, there are numbers: Men ask for what they want and initiate negotiations 2-3X more often than women. Think this doesn’t have an eensy something to do with the wage gap? I do.

 

Your role.

We teach entrepreneurial skills in my class. So, the first question is: What can YOU do to better your situation, starting with how you communicate?

This is information directly from PowerPoints in the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership class developed by the amazing Dr. Susan Duffy (now at Simmons) and altered by moi.

Additional links:

GW Today Facebook page, where this conversation about communication started

Dr. Deborah Tannen, guru of gender communications

What’s most important for young women to learn? Scroll down to see poll results.

Other posts in this series.

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Want more?

• This is part of the “Power Plays for Women” series delivering tested, high-value facts based on research. To learn more, sign up for our monthly newsletter by emailing us here.   (Other posts in this series)
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