Do You Want to Be Taken Seriously?

Success in your life and your career has a lot to do with how you are perceived by others.  People want to deal with people whom they find to be serious and credible.

Steps you can take to get others to take you seriously:

1. Act serious. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to act seriously. Don’t act like a fool.
2. Speak clearly and thoughtfully. Speak up. Speak coherently and make sure what you’re saying makes sense. Don’t mumble. Use proper grammar and sentence structure. Get to the point and say what you need to say.
3. Think before you speak. You don’t have to say everything you think. Some thoughts are not worth expressing.
4. Make persuasive arguments that are well thought out. This will allow others to see that you are someone that they should listen to and take note of.
5. Eliminate filler words. Work on eliminating the ‘uh’s’, ‘ahs’, ‘ums’ and other filler words such as ‘you know’, ‘like’, ‘really’ and ‘honestly’ that interrupt the flow of ideas.
6. Make sure you’ve got your facts straight. You may need to substantiate what you’re saying. Be prepared to provide a reference.
7. Look the other person in the eye. When having a face-to-face conversation, look the other person in the eye. This shows that you are serious and engaged in the conversation.
8. Be sincere and demonstrate conviction. People sense when you’re being disingenuous or dishonest or not totally forthcoming.
9. When shaking hands, use a good firm handshake. This is more for men than women but to some extent it’s true for women as well. Firm does not mean bone crushing. It means don’t hold out a limp noodle.
10. If you’re asked a question and don’t know the answer, say so. No one is expected to know everything. Don’t just make something up. When you get a moment, look it up. That way, the next time you’re asked the question, you’ll know the answer.
11. Develop creditability. Being consistently shown to be right allows others to see that you are credible and that they can believe what you’re saying.
12. Don’t be a jokester. Don’t make a joke out of everything. If you’re always joking, how can you expect to be taken seriously?
13. Don’t overuse hyperbole. When used sparingly, use of hyperbole and exaggeration are useful for dramatic effect. However, as with any tool, overuse diminishes the effectiveness and ultimately serves to undermine your message.
14. Pay attention to your appearance. Dress for success. Shower. Keep your hair and clothes presentable. Brush your teeth. When you don’t take care of your appearance, you look sloppy and disinterested – looking like a slacker. For boys and men, keep your pants up around your waist – nobody wants to see your under-britches or, worse yet, your butt crack.
15. Develop a good reputation. Avoid things that make others think less of you such as public drinking, drugs, crime, and other poor decisions that reflect poorly on your character.
16. Be truthful. If you have a reputation of someone who is truthful, people will generally believe you and therefore believe in you. If you’re known to lie, how can you expect others to believe you?
17. Keep your word. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Do what you promise. Don’t make promises you can’t or don’t intend to keep.
18. In an argument, stay calm and speak in an even tone.   Don’t get all worked up. This will allow folks to see that you are level headed. If people find out that you can be rattled, they will try to rattle you. Don’t let your detractors get your goat..
19. Make sure you can back up your arguments with facts, not just your opinions. Make sure you know the difference.
20. Be assertive, confident, and decisive. When you talk to someone, say their name, look them in the eye, and let them know that you’re talking to them. When you decide to say something, say it. Don’t waffle. When you make a decision stick with it unless information comes to your attention that gives you a reason to change your thinking.
21. Take responsibility for what you do or say. If you make a mistake or do or say something wrong, own up to it.
22. Know what’s going on in the world.   Read and study so you can carry on an intelligent conversation.
23. Pay attention to your body language. Keep your posture open and upright. Don’t slump or slink around.
24. Make a good first impression. First impressions are important. People make their initial assessment based on how you present yourself. Square your shoulders. Make your handshake matter: Make eye contact and use a firm grip. Smile.
25. Be confident yet humble. Confidence is important but it’s also important to acknowledge that there is much that you don’t know.

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Garland Smith

Wellness and Weight Loss Coach-In-Training at http://garlandsmith.com

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