In order to succeed at work, it is important that we be conscious of our behaviors. Women in particular tend to engage in eleven common behaviors that prevent their success in the workplace. Identifying and modifying the following behaviors will help women build successful career communication.

o We don’t ask . . . therefore we don’t get

While men in the workplace often step up to the plate and ask for what they want, female colleagues frequently sit on the bench only to watch and fall behind in the game. Women let promotions, raises and better benefits slip through their hands because they never ask for them. You’ll never score a homerun if you don’t step up to the plate and ask for the pitch. Men are more likely to be assertive and direct with higher-ups. Therefore, they are more likely to get what they want than women. When women do decide to ask, they often ask the wrong people. Many women will seek assurance from friends and colleagues before asking. If your name is on the roster, don’t hesitate to play the game.

o We procrastinate

When women step up to the plate, oftentimes it’s too late. Not only does procrastination create unnecessary stress, it also puts you behind in the game. Many women and men experience what is termed “approach-avoidance” behavior. This is when you know what has to be done but you avoid it. Or, you get stuck in analysis paralysis, where you calculate every outcome before moving forward. Procrastination may seem like an innocent habit, however knowledge without action can lead to depression. Don’t be a bench warmer in the workplace. Step up to bat now. The longer you avoid what needs to be done, the more it affects self-esteem, self-confidence and ultimately your success.

o We say “I’m sorry”

Unlike men, women have a tendency to overuse the phrase “I’m sorry” in the workplace.
Not only do women say “I’m sorry” to apologize for what they’ve done, they also apologize for other people’s actions as well. Don’t bath yourself in other people’s dirty water. Also know that when you apologize your word choice is critical.
Rather than saying “I’m sorry” consider action words such as “I regret,” “I apologize for,” or “forgive me for” which are more direct and meaningful. Save the “I’m sorry” for when you’re shopping for a Hallmark card, not when you’re in the workplace.

o We say “I’ll try”

The difference between saying “I’ll try” and “I will” can be the difference between failure and success. By saying “I’ll try” you set the stage for procrastination. By saying “I will” you create a mental commitment to yourself, which ensures you will achieve your goal. In addition, by telling others that you “will try,” you communicate a sense of doubt. “I will” communicates a sense of certainty.

o We’re not selective with whom we spend our time

Face it – sometimes you end up in the company of people who are more negative than positive. Ultimately, this reflects upon you. Our relationships are our base network. They need to be strong and encouraging. Most people have a tendency to stay in a relationship when the perceived benefits outweigh the perceived costs. Think about what happens when you get back less than you give. Don’t waste energy on relationships that are counterproductive. Find people who encourage you, challenge you, and motivate you to succeed. Remember that sour grapes make for bad wine and a spoiled party.

o We use non-verbals that don’t work

Non-verbal communication conveys up to 90 percent of a message. By using strong and powerful non-verbals you can enhance your image and create the positively visible image you want. On average, women take up less space than men so it is important to claim your space. Rather than putting your hands in your lap, put them up on the desk. Rather than sitting along the wall at a meeting, sit at the table. If you have a desk at work, position it so you face the door and can easily greet those who walk in. Avoid using counterproductive non-verbals like eye rolling and fake smiles. People can misinterpret them or become distracted. It is also important to be direct with your non-verbals. By making eye contact, nodding your head and keeping an open posture you’ll make a positive impression.

o We criticize ourselves

Do you speak negatively about yourself? If so, it can hurt your self-esteem and impact the way people view you. Approximately 70 to 90 percent of the words our brain processes are unusable or negative. According to the Zeigarnik effect, people remember more negative events than positive ones. Therefore, when you talk negatively about yourself it sticks like a wad of gum on a shoe. If you can’t say something nice about yourself, don’t say anything at all.

o We over-communicate

Are you a talkaholic? Women use about 3,000 to 4,000 more words per day than our male counterparts. While communication is critical for success, too much talky-talky can be counterproductive. When you ramble, people become distracted and confused. You also can loose the idea you were trying to communicate. It is more important to be clear and concise with your communication. Why use more words than necessary?

o We over-commit

Many working women feel pressured to succeed at everything. However, remember that if you bite off a large chunk, you’re going to be chewing on it for a long time. You will put yourself in a better position if you are successful at a few tasks rather than mediocre at many. Say no just as much as you say yes. When asked to take on a new task, take a step back and breathe! Evaluate your personal and professional schedule to find a comfortable balance.

o We don’t provide 3-step positive feedback

What are you doing to create a “good old girl network?” It is important to remember how hard the journey was that brought you to where you are today. Don’t get distracted with your own success and forget to say “thank you” to those who have guided you along the way. Realize that you have the ability to mentor others, so ask yourself, “Who can I help?” and then do it.

o We don’t toot our own horn.

Positive impressions create positive results. Unknowingly, many working women quietly watch from backstage as their male colleagues take center stage. Go for the lead role. As a professional it’s important to step out from behind the curtain and become more positively visible. Don’t fixate on negative traits and previous failures. Let people know about your accomplishments, talents and strengths. Actively create the positive image you want people to see. Voice your talents in the workplace and you’ll receive an encore.

By: Susanne Gaddis

About the Author:
Being conscious of your behaviors is the first step towards a positive change. Remember, improvement comes with time. When addressing these issues be patient with yourself. For more information about how to improve your communication skills visit Dr. Susanne Gaddis’s Website at: http://www.CommunicationsDoctor.comSusanne Gaddis, PhD, known as the Communications Doctor, is an acknowledged communications expert who has been speaking and teaching the art of effective and positive communication since 1989. With a specialized expertise in healthcare communication, Susanne delivers workshops, seminars, and keynote presentations across the United States. To book Dr. Gaddis for an upcoming conference or event call 919-933-3237, or for more information visit: http://www.CommunicationsDoctor.com where you can download her e-book Communication Booster Shots: Prescriptions for Effective Communication.Dr. Gaddis would like to acknowledge Carly Salvadore for help in researching and writing this article.Statistic in the introduction was found at: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/rnpopulation/preliminaryfindings.htm

A lot of women around me seem to complain about career advancement, and yet most of these professional working women fail to realize that they fail to advance not because of gender, but due to the fact that they underestimate their own worth and have no idea to take advantage of their accomplishments and skills.

Professional women with high career advancement aspirations need a sound plan to help them be prominent from their coworkers and peers. They need their employers to recognize their talent, strengths and worth in their profession. There are several ways for women to seek career advancement opportunities and make it into a reality.

Instead of focusing on their individual talents, strengths, skills, accomplishments, and own worth in specific areas, many women focus on trying to improve in areas they do not do well.

For women to enjoy career advancement success, identify your strengths, talents, and focus on those positive strong attributes.

Get noticed by becoming a problem-solver instead of just pointing problems out or blaming others. Think about problems in the workplace that need to be address and figure out ways your team or you can help to solve them.

Effective, excellent communication skills help to improve your career advancement chances. Effective communication helps not only in career advancement opportunities but also during job interviews.

On a job interview, it helps you market yourself in a clear, concise manner. Although effective communication helps improve women and career advancement potential, they need to add new skills continuously to keep refining and improving their communication skills.

Dressing professionally and having a polished image could make the difference between the corporation or company offering you career advancement and them overlooking you. Women need to dress appropriately to present positive impressions in the workplace, even if the company has a casual dress code.

Be sure your business attire presents the image you want to be visualized. You cannot go wrong with conservative business clothes that present a professional look. You never want to appear over under dressed.

Be sure that any business clothes you buy are good quality and coordinate well with other business wardrobe items to save you both time and money. Shoes should be stylish, in good repair and most importantly, comfortable as it is very difficult to accomplish anything when your feet are hurt.

Women and career advancement success means being punctual, reliable, and adhere to attendance policies. Management often overlooks women that constantly arrive late when a career advancement position becomes available.

By: Ray Baron

About the Author:
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Teenagers have different fashion requirements that make them cool or otherwise, therefore, teenage jewelry is different from what adults would want to wear. Teenage jewelry signifies coming of age and combines the bouncing hormones with funk.

There is little wonder that there are several manufacturers that target teenagers and youngsters alone.

Jewelry is no more about girls anymore, jewelry is favorite among boys too, to look ‘IN’ these guys are ready to wear just about anything that looks different than the rest of the crowd. Teenagers have a variety of choice in jewelry; they have jewelry ranging from plastic to precious metals and semi-precious or precious stones.

It all depends on your tastes and definition on how you choose jewelry, and for teenagers everything cool is almost everything that is not normal. Who would want to wear normal similar earrings in both ears, when there are so many choices available? Teenage jewelry signifies youth in its very beginning therefore the colors are attractive and designs -rebellious.

Apart from the normal chains and earrings, teenage jewelry also showcases a number of different types of rings; these rings can be used for different body parts. Huge range of course is available for belly button rings, which does seem to be the thing to wear at present. Belly button rings are not just rings but lovely looking ornaments, which are designed to draw attention to waists.

In the hip-hop collection specially designed for teenagers, you will find a variety of other types of rings namely nose rings, eyebrow rings, nipple rings (ouch!!), yes those too. All the jewelry happens to be well designed and light to wear so that the skin does not get stretched.

You thing precious metals are for adults only? You can check out the jewelry that has been given a 24-carat gold plating or those small pieces of jewelry that have been made from silver further treated to look funky and attractive. You will also find teenage jewelry in made from semi precious stones, to fancier and expensive ones like Swarovski crystal.

This is no wonder that teenage jewelry is a rage and is also attracting quite some amount of business for the manufacturers. When it comes to teenagers, it seldom happens that whatever mom buys is acceptable, they would like to choose and pick, partly to show independence and partly because they want to wear something different.

You are in a situation where you do not want to hurt your child by refusing credit cards nor do you want to buy something for her yourself which she later will accept with reluctance. You can visit several teenage jewelry stores online that will make it possible for you and your daughter to sit together and choose and pick the best one she likes and you don’t even have to let go off your credit card. Ideally buying on the Internet will be a good choice if you are assured about the quality, you can visit hordes of jewelry sites and choose and pick those, which have been doing business for years and have been voted by their customers as absolutely trustworthy.

By: Ujwala Bapat

About the Author:
http://jewelshopper.googlepages.com/bodycandy.com