Summary

This article provides communication hacks to help young employees become more assertive and influential, including speaking slower, interrupting interrupters, explaining the bigger picture, avoiding upspeak, providing structure with signposts, cutting generic fluff in emails, replacing exclamation marks with periods, and taking physical space.

Abstract

The article titled "8 Communication Hacks I Use To Be More Assertive As a Young Employee" offers practical tips for young professionals to establish their influence and command attention in the workplace. The author, a former product manager and current MBA student at Stanford, shares her personal experience and insights on how to communicate effectively and assertively.

The article begins by acknowledging the challenges faced by young employees, such as being dismissed due to their age, gender, or lack of experience. To overcome these obstacles, the author suggests eight communication hacks.

First, she advises speaking slower than what feels natural, as rushing can make one appear uncertain or anxious. Second, she encourages readers to interrupt interrupters and reclaim the word when someone jumps in while they are talking. Third, she emphasizes the importance of explaining the bigger picture to help others see the context and relevance of one's work.

Fourth, the author warns against making statements sound like questions, a speech pattern known as upspeak, which can undermine credibility and influence. Fifth, she recommends using signposts, such as "first," "second," and "third," to provide structure and transitions in one's speech.

Sixth, she advises cutting the generic fluff in emails and replacing it with genuine warmth. Seventh, she suggests replacing exclamation marks with periods to convey a more professional and authoritative tone. Lastly, she encourages readers to take physical space and adopt an open and expansive posture to project confidence and authority.

The article concludes by inviting readers to join the author's free weekly newsletter for more actionable tips on effective communication.

Bullet points

Speak slower than what feels natural to convey confidence and authority
Interrupt interrupters and reclaim the word when someone jumps in while you are talking
Explain the bigger picture to help others see the context and relevance of your work
Avoid making statements sound like questions (upspeak) to maintain credibility and influence
Use signposts to provide structure and transitions in your speech
Cut the generic fluff in emails and replace it with genuine warmth
Replace exclamation marks with periods to convey a more professional and authoritative tone
Take physical space and adopt an open and expansive posture to project confidence and authority

8 Communication Hacks I Use To Be More Assertive As a Young Employee

Become more influential by learning the language of these subtle cues

Hate it when you are not taken seriously?

When I started working as a 24-year-old woman, I struggled. How to command attention? How not to be dismissed for my size, gender, and lack of wrinkles or gray hair?

I’ve learned hacks to be more assertive. To be more influential. Within two years as a product manager, I was promoted to lead a team of product managers. And I’m now an MBA student at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

These communication hacks can also help you be more assertive and more influential.

1. Speak slower than what feels natural

When we speak fast, it’s as if we’re worried we’ll get interrupted otherwise.

I rush when I worry my thoughts aren’t worth listening to. But how do we slow down… in practice? Speech coach Jamie Chapman says that telling ourselves to speak slowly zaps the energy out of our speech.

Instead, Chapman suggests: (a) emphasizing select words, and (b) deliberately pausing.

2. Interrupted? Then interrupt the interrupter

Did someone jump in and take the word from you, while you were talking?

Don’t just let it happen. Reclaim the word: “May I finish?” No need to wait for a pause. Interrupt the interrupter. I first tried this in a role play in the Stanford MBA class Leadership Laboratory. It blew my mind how quickly it established my influence.

Next time, try “May I finish?” If that’s not enough, try these other tips from Wendy R.S. O’Connor.

3. Explain the bigger picture

What’s obvious to you, often isn’t to others.

By explaining the bigger picture, you help others see it too. And if you’re speaking to someone senior who already knows it, you help them see where your work fit in.

4. Avoid making statements sound like questions

“Your statement lost its effect when you ended it on a high pitch,” a group member told me. Upspeak, it’s called. I do it when I feel uncertain.

But upspeak loses credibility and influence. And it’s unnecessary. If it’s important to convey our uncertainty, we can use words like “I think.” We can even pose a question formulated grammatically as a question should be.

Caveat: Someone else’s upspeak is no excuse to be dismissive. As leaders and colleagues, we should strive to hear what our colleagues have to say even if they use this speech pattern.

Give your statements the punch they deserve.

5. Provide structure with signposts

Using signposts — that is, terms that provide structure and transitions — is a hack that instantly improves clarity.

Communication coach Alexander Lyon describes how to use “first,” “second,” and “third” to indicate shifts between our main points. He also explains classic transitions and what he calls summary transitions, to help the listener when you shift from one topic to the next.

Signposts give clarity. And clarity is influential.

6. Cut the generic fluff in emails

“Sounds good! When will the report be ready? — Jeff. PS: Did you watch the world soccer cup?”

Ever noticed how senior leaders can write such short, direct emails? I tend to embellish my message with “dear,” “hope you’re well,” “kind regards,” and other generic formalities.

The generic phrases can be replaced with genuine warmth.

7. Replace exclamation marks with periods

See how junior an email saturated with exclamation marks looks:

Hi, all! Hope you’re as excited as I am for tomorrow! We’re celebrating our accomplishments with cake! Join us tomorrow at 2 pm! See you soon!

And why so many exclamation marks? Why not just one?

Hi, all. Hope you’re as excited as I am for tomorrow. We’re celebrating our accomplishments with cake. Join us tomorrow at 2 pm! See you soon.

8. Take physical space

“Playing high (…) will look like a very open, expansive, relaxed body,” says Deborah Gruenfield, a Stanford professor and author of Acting with Power.

Often find yourself with crossed legs, or bent over looking small? Open up your posture. Take up more physical space.

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