Today’s advice comes from Naomi Simson, CEO and founder of RedBalloon, via her post on LinkedIn:
“It is outrageous that there are not more women on boards and running large companies. We don’t have to give up our feminine characteristics to achieve what we want — but to get there — you need to be heard now … Women tend to use more words than men, which can dilute a message. Again, I believe this is a fundamental gender difference.”
Simson says there is a fine line between speaking your mind and exposing too much information too soon. Sometimes less is more. You don’t have to censor yourself when you are at work. Instead, come up with a strategy that gets your point across in a quicker, more effective way. The ultimate goal is to speak your mind and the trick is knowing what the best approach is for putting yourself out there.
“In the case of business, try using 25 percent fewer words in conversations and e-mails than you normally would, and see what happens. Take your time when you respond to a question — and structure your argument. Pause and say ‘The three points I wish to cover are…’ and stick to three points. Being succinct is key to being heard … There’s nothing wrong with saying, ‘Excuse me, let me jump in here.’ It is not ‘pushing’ to speak up for yourself.”
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