How to harness the power of words to improve your communication and career
Words matter; choose wisely.
Welcome to Illuminate Me. Each week, I share an illuminating insight to help you communicate and connect better, growing your reach, impact, and career.
This week’s insight: Words have power.
As a professional writer, I believe in the power of words to help us communicate and connect better.
You can’t be all cavalier and willy-nilly with words; you need to use them responsibly.
Because ultimately, they’re a choice you make that telegraphs to the world your intentions, who you are, and what matters most.
And those are things you definitely want to get right.
But far too often, I see others making choices that unknowingly sabotage their efforts, negatively impacting their careers.
Words matter, so it makes sense to pay attention to which you use and how you use them. Here are some ways to harness the power of words and improve your communication:
Stop meandering and get to the point
Have you ever started reading something that went on and on, where you struggled to figure out the author’s intent? Or maybe you’ve started watching an eight-minute video, and five minutes in, you’re still not sure of the poster’s point?
Meandering signals that you’re unorganized and unsure. Worse, you’ll lose your audience’s attention—and the opportunity to communicate. When you want to deliver a message, be intentional, eliminate extraneous material, and get to the point.
Focus on one takeaway
Another common communication misstep is trying to cover too much at once. A good rule of thumb is that each piece of content should revolve around one central theme. This forces you to get specific about and home in on your message. And that clarity promotes better understanding, making it easier for your audience to understand your perspective.
Switch from negative to positive
As my grandmother used to say, “You’ll attract more flies with honey than vinegar.” (I know that’s a weird—and slightly gross—saying, but you get the gist.) When using positive language, you’re perceived as likable, supportive, and caring. In contrast, using negative language paints you as critical and confrontational, even when that’s not your intent. Positive language lets someone know what you can do instead of what you can’t do.
Move from passive to active voice
Imagine if Nike changed its tagline to It was done. Not very inspiring, is it? Passive voice is just that: passive. With it, the subject is acted upon by the verb. Something happened to it; there’s no forward momentum.
Using the active voice conveys a strong, clear tone, such as Nike’s famous tagline, Just do it. There’s a call to action. Action-oriented language propels us to do something rather than remain idle. Where possible, minimize passive language and use active voice.
Incorporate evocative language
A friend and I have a running joke that whenever someone asks how we are, we say, “I’m on fire!” The idea behind our unusual reply is that our word choice sets the tone and elicits an emotional response, two things critical for effective communication.
Incorporating evocative language into your repertoire opens you up to a more descriptive, interesting lexicon. Never again will you have to use “nice,” “good,” or “fine”—the four-letter milquetoasts of the word world. Instead, you’ll stand out, capture your audience’s attention, and ensure your message will be more memorable.
Craft your story
The finest and most memorable communicators understand the power of a story to convey a message. Think about it: would you rather read a list of facts or lose yourself in a narrative tale? Research from Paul Zak confirms this: Personal and emotionally compelling stories engage more of the brain and are better remembered than simply stating a set of facts.
Even more fascinating, Princeton neuroscientist Uri Hasson found that the brains of storytellers and story listeners can synchronize. As Kinda Hall, author of Stories That Stick, says: “Stories don’t just make us like each other; they make us like each other. They make us similar.” Sharing our stories help others know, like, and trust us.
If you’re looking for a way to communicate and connect better, craft a story. Because once you have your story, it changes everything, including how others perceive, pay, and promote you.
Remember, words have power. Choose wisely.
Like words, some traits are more powerful than others, especially in the interview process.
Recently, hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals were presented with 21 personality traits and asked which were the most (and least) attractive when hiring.
Not surprisingly, they had clear preferences—and deal-breakers.
To stand out in the interview process, you have to know what hiring managers are looking for and avoid the bad while highlighting the good.
In my latest Forbes article, I share how to showcase the top five most desirable traits.
And ICYMI…
LinkedIn recently shared its latest Global Talent Trends Report, which stresses the importance of employers embracing skill-building in an ever-changing labor market.
In my recent Forbes article, I shared five key takeaways from the report and LinkedIn blog with advice from experts on how employers can leverage them.
More illumination:
Miss last week’s newsletter? I explained why you should surround yourself with complementary (not complimentary) people. (There’s an important difference.)
And one from the archives: Here’s why your quiddity might be showing—and how to read those of others.
P.S.
What I do:
When I’m not writing this newsletter or marveling at the power of words, I’m a social media ghostwriter. (Yep, that’s a thing). I help founders craft their stories to communicate and connect better, magnifying their reach and impact. (Think personal branding and thought leadership.)
I can also weave together your personal and professional experience to write an engaging, original, and authentic career story that aligns with and supports your personal brand and thought leadership, positioning you for success.
Learn more by visiting my website.
Where you can follow me and find more of my work:
Forbes: I write weekly articles on personal transformation and its impact on career growth.
LinkedIn: Hit the 🔔 in the top right corner of my profile to get notified when I post and join more than 21,000 others by subscribing to my weekly LinkedIn newsletter, momentum, featuring insights to help you maintain positive motion and continually grow your career.
Twitter: Pithy synopses and threads of my content.
Instagram: My content, visualized (and occasional travel-related Instagram Stories and archived Story Highlights about my adventures if you’re into that kind of thing).
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