Do you have any communication skills questions for me?
Bring it on!
I’d love to answer your question. I’m planning a future podcast episode where I’ll answer as many questions as I can.
So please hit REPLY and ask away. You can type your question, and I’ll read it in a future Talk About Talk podcast episode. Or you can attach an audio or video clip, which I will play.
Yes, you’ll be famous!
Here are some topic and context ideas for your questions:
- personal branding
- imposter syndrome and building confidence
- formal presentations
- job interviews
- leading meetings
While you’re thinking about what question to ask, here are three questions I received at a recent live training session – along with my answers!
- What to wear?
- How to engage in small talk?
- How to navigate cultural differences?
QUESTION 1️⃣ What to Wear?
Yes, what you wear can have a big impact on people’s perceptions of you. I’m not a fashion stylist, but I do know some do’s and don’ts that apply to most of us:
- If you’re online, communicating virtually, wear solids. Stay away from prints (stripes, plaids, etc), as they can appear pixelated on-screen.
- If you’re choosing what color to wear, go with blue. Blue is favored by more than any other color. And it looks great – on screen and in-person.
- Dress “up” – not necessarily more formally, but rather similarly to people further up the corporate ladder, where you aspire to be.
- When you’re presenting, you want to feel comfortable (well-fitting clothing) and elevated (this is a big deal!). When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good.
If you want to be memorable, pick a thing that relates to your personality or a passion, and go with it. It could be a color (mine is turquoise), a clothing item (scarves, crisp white dress shirts), an accessory (handbags, funky socks), or something else related to your personal style (your bright pink lipstick or your fantastic head of hair).
How you show up matters. People often see you and judge you before you say a word.
QUESTION 2️⃣ Small Talk
It’s such a cliche, isn’t it, to talk about the weather?
When it comes to small talk, I am not a big fan of rehearsed, random small talk prompts:
- So what have you done lately that really lit up your world?
- Tell me about the best place you visited?
- What’s the coolest thing that’s happened to you in the last 12 months?
No thank you!
I do appreciate what people are trying to do when they ask these questions. They’re trying to fill the conversation void.
Instead, I encourage you to ask the other person something about the here and now. For example:
- If you’re at any event, you could ask someone how they got there. Do they live in the same city? How was traffic? Did you drive or take the subway? Or did they come from out of town and take a train? A plane?
- If you’re at a conference and you meet someone, you could simply ask, what’s your connection to the conference? Are you a speaker? Do you know the speaker? Is your company sponsoring the event?
- If you notice something interesting that the person is carrying or wearing, maybe an electronic device, you could ask them, is that a new phone? I noticed you’re wearing the lates smart watch. What do you think of it?
Note that all of these suggestions focus on asking questions about the other person.
Focus on being interested, not on being interesting.
QUESTION 3️⃣ Navigating Cultural Differences at Work
Cultural differences exist not just across different countries, but also across industries, across organizations, and even teams within an organization. (You’ve heard the term “corporate culture,” right?) Differences also exist across age groups, genders, and so on. Understanding how to navigate these differences can be challenging. How you do so can also set you apart.
The fact that you’re asking this question shows that you have self-awareness. Self-awareness and empathy are critical to effectively managing cultural differences at work.
My main suggestion is to recognize and celebrate differences. After all, research shows that diversity drives team performance.
One strategy to recognize and celebrate differences is to call out the stereotypes associated with your own identity. Personally for me, I’m a white (privileged?), Canadian (apologetic?) female (soft-spoken?), red head (feisty?)… you get the idea. Recognizing and articulating the stereotypes associated with your own identity (whether they apply to you personally or not) can be an effective way to open the discussion about cultural differences.
And when you mess up? If you accidentally offend someone, my suggestion is that you offer a brief, pubic apology, then move on. Then later, privately follow-up with the person to discuss your transgression and apologize again.
Yes, I’ve messed up – and followed this sequence. It works!
Communicating that you respect differences can go a long way.
I love hosting Q&As. Perhaps that’s the question you ask! “Andrea any tips for successfully hosting a Q&A after my presentation?”
Please think about what communication focused question you have for me. I’d love to answer your question in a future podcast episode. Just hit reply and ask away!
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Have a great week.
Talk soon,
