The Tuesday Business Corner: make sure people use the right word to describe your communication

Last week, the regular driver my student sends to collect me and take me to his office wasn't available because he was on holiday. So, he sent a colleague instead. Because I hadn’t met this guy before, I wondered how we’d recognise each other.

When I was due to meet him, as I walked towards the meeting point, I saw a stranger in a dark suit who stopped two different gentlemen that were fairly short, asked them a question, but then they kept on walking past him…

… It quickly became very obvious which word  my student had used to describe me.

Which got me thinking: what one word would people use to describe my communications?

And, more importantly for you:

• What one word would they use to describe yours?
• What one word would you like them to use?
• What simple steps could you take, to turn your first answer into the second?

You can answer all three yourself. But the most accurate way to answer the first is to ask others what they think. After all, they are better placed to describe what impact you have on them.

But, whether you ask someone else or not, it’s an important exercise to do. Once you know the one word people use to describe you, you can do something about it. Unless, of course, that one word is “short” ;)

Action point

Ask somebody you trust to describe the impact you cause when you communicate. Then - depending on what they say - identify simple steps to take, to improve their perception.
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Written by NativeEnglish

Native English Spain is dedicated to make learning English simple, fun and affordable for Spanish people.