I know you’ve been thinking about that promotion all month, and I don’t blame you. So have you asked for it yet??? Let me let you in on a secret: If you don’t ask for it, you will never receive it. It seems pretty obvious, but how many times have you delayed showing your house for sale because it needed renovations, or initiating conversation with that dashing guy who gets coffee at your spot every day, because you weren’t in shape yet? Ladies: If you do not ask, you will not receive!!!
But there is one thing you must do before you ask for a promotion, and that is to make sure you have established yourself as a bad-ass worker. How? Change your body language. Body language can make all the difference in the workplace, so here are some tips on revising your body language accordingly:
- Keep your shoulders straight. Straight shoulders imply superiority and health
- Wear comfortable heels. Walking comfortably implies confidence, whereas wearing heels that make you limp implies insecurity.
- Wear clothing that fits you well. Once again, being comfortable in what you wear implies confidence, and lack of comfort suggests insecurity.
- Shake hands firmly, and maintain eye contact. A firm grasp implies that you can stand your own in a negotiation. Eye contact implies trustworthiness and a willingness to rise to the challenge
- When sitting, cross your legs at the ankles, fold your hands, and put them in front of you, centered, on the table. Keep your shoulders straight and don’t hunch down.
- When listening to a person speak, do not smile with your teeth showing. Give a small friendly smile of acknowledgment.
- However, when you are first meeting someone, immediately extend your hand in front of you to shake their hand while walking toward them, even if across the room, and smile openly with your teeth showing
- Speak in words of action, not a passive action. Avoid qualifiers and filler words. Try to keep your tone of voice even and slightly baritone and didactic.
And then, when you and your talents have had their time to shine, go ask for that promotion!!! Remember, if you don’t ask, you can’t receive!
To learn more about positive body language and communicating effectively, visit https://karendonaldsoninc.com
