The Habits That Hold You Back

Heres a memo you need toget:a few seemingly innocuous and totally common workplace behaviours (e.g., being indirect, or hitting the ! key one too many times) can straight-up sabotage your stellar employee status and your potential to get ahead. Women often act a certain way because they dont want to be called aggressive or a bitch, says leadership and communication coach Peggy Klaus, author of Brag! The Art Of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It. Sadly, having a less assertive or too enthusiastic MO can cause colleagues to view you as unreliable or unprofessional. Breaking these three small habits can help put you on track for long term success.

- Molly Fitzpatrick

1 Talking in Timid-Speak

Got a question for your boss? Just clearly state what you need. ‘If you’re not direct, you likely won’t get what you want,’ says Klaus.

Women sometimes hedge requests because they’ve been conditioned to be accommodating. But being too deferential can come across as meek or like ass-kissing, causing your co-workers to doubt your confidence and qualifications. They’ll wonder whether you believe in yourself and, in turn, whether they should trust you with big projects.

Keep requests straightforward: ‘Can you meet this afternoon? We need to discuss XYZ.’ (While you’re at it: remove ‘I’m sorry’ from your vocab unless you really mean it.)