Why speaking up at the right time is key to a successful career

Across academia, from elementary math class to graduate courses, it’s perfectly acceptable to put one’s nose to the grindstone and quietly focus on learning and grasping the subject at hand. Sure, there are always a few students in each classroom or lecture hall that tend to speak up more often than others, and while participation certainly helps, no one has ever failed Chemistry 201 for being shy. 

Once graduation day has come and gone, many burgeoning professionals are surprised to find the same hardly applies in the world of business. Speaking up and being noticed, in addition to the actual work, is a key element of building a successful career in your chosen field. After all, it’s tough to land the big promotion if your manager routinely struggles to recall your name.

Plenty of employees believe the quality of their work speaks volumes, and that may be true, but the fact of the matter is that there’s more to success than just the nuts and bolts of work. Appearances do matter, and being viewed in a positive light by your co-workers and managers matters even more. If you turn yourself into the office outcast, either purposely or absentmindedly, it will invariably have an impact on your career projection. Consider a recent international study published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Psychology. Researchers found that team members who speak up more often and communicate well are more likely to be considered invaluable and chosen for a leadership role.

All forms of communication aren’t equal

Don’t fall back on email as your main means of communicating with co-workers. We’re all familiar with overloaded inboxes and spam mail, but eye-opening research encompassing thousands of small business employees recently documented just how many emails go unread. That survey found the average modern employee spends an astounding 11 hours weekly drafting, editing, and sending emails – yet most workers estimate only about 35% of their email correspondences are ever actually opened and read by the intended recipient!

Indeed, if you have something important or urgent to say, it’s always advisable to do so in person or over video chat as opposed to an email.

A little kindness goes a long way

Don’t feel pressure to find something profound or supremely intelligent to say during every interaction. It’s a common sentiment to worry about using the right word at the perfect time with a standoffish boss or cold co-worker, but the truth is, a little bit of civility is usually the best recipe for improved lines of communication. One poll conducted in 2022 tells us that seven in 10 working Americans feel like passive-aggressive behavior is more prevalent than ever across workplaces. Set yourself apart from your grumpier co-workers by maintaining a more genuine, positive disposition.

Avoid cringey “office jargon”

Stereotypical business terms and office jargon were originally intended to inspire workers and foster a sense of shared company community, but over the decades such sayings have come to be associated with insincerity more than anything else. When executives talk about “finding cost synergies,” most employees know that really means layoffs are coming. On a similar note, while it can be flattering at times to be described as a “marketing guru” or “web design rockstar,” most professionals will agree they’d prefer to be addressed by their actual job title the vast majority of the time. 

Phrases like “think outside the box,” “this project has a whole lot of moving pieces,” or “I’ll run it up the flagpole and get back to you,” are best left unsaid in the modern business landscape. One poll involving thousands of workers found that 63% consider it “off putting” when their co-workers use office jargon in emails or messages while working remotely.

So what’s the solution? Adopt a more casual tone. 75% of respondents in that same survey said they forged stronger connections with their fellow employees while working remotely by allowing their personalities to shine through in work messages.

Not all communication is verbal

It’s imperative to understand that there’s more to communication than just verbal interactions and written correspondences. Body language, and how you conduct yourself around others, also plays a major role. One piece of research published in the Psychonomic Bulletin and Review suggests that adding hand gestures while conversing with another person can actually speed up the rate of language processing between both individuals. In other words, actions like head nods and hand gestures can help your co-workers grasp what you’re saying in a faster manner.

Here’s an easy way to make a statement without moving your lips: Be sure to keep your phone out of sight during meetings. Even if you usually use your smartphone to take notes or look up relevant metrics during such gatherings, it’s a better idea to opt for a laptop. People (and managers) will frequently assume you are scrolling through social media or texting friends if they see your phone out during a conference call or board meeting.
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