13 Speak with Power
As much as former secretary of state Alexander Haig craved power, he sure didn’t talk like a blunt commander. He liked to use phrases such as “caveat my response” and “careful caution.” Speaking like a bureaucrat not only undermines your point but also makes it harder for others to understand and trust you. Set a goal as a manager of becoming a plainspoken, no-nonsense communicator.
Even if you ascended into management thanks to your technical know-how or your track record of hard work, a good bit of your success now rests on your ability to speak with power. When you talk, you need to ensure others listen.
A mumbling or wishy-washy speaker will prove a dud as a manager. You must state your position clearly and make it hard ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access