Greater importance has been placed on being our authentic selves. While it is very important to stay true to who you are, there is a way to deliver a message for it to be effective communication while staying true to who you are. Following are a few myths about what it means to communicate professionally.
1. Code-switching is okay. Growing up, my mother could be fussing at the kids in one moment, and then the phone would ring and her voice would completely change. We automatically knew to be quiet if this tone continued because this meant she was having a professional conversation. Unfortunately, she did not realize she was teaching me that I had to use this tone if I wanted to speak professionally. This is something we often see in professional environments from BIPOCs (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) when speaking with management or specifically white professionals. This is not okay. Use your authentic voice. The one you use when speaking with your friends and family. While you may not use the same vernacular you use with close friends and family, you can still use your authentic tone. Changing your tone does not assume a certain level of education. Instead, it shows how uncomfortable you are with yourself and using your voice.
2. I can be myself. I don’t have to talk like I’m white. First of all, there is no such thing as talking white. We should not put so much superiority on a group of people where we have decided we are not speaking correctly or intelligently if we sound like them, or anyone other than ourselves. Speaking correct grammar does not mean you are not being your authentic self. Correct grammar means you take purposeful steps to ensure your message can be understood in any setting.
3. It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. While this can be true in many situations, this choice should not be used to circumvent professional courtesy and organizational policies – just because you do not want to follow the rules. Rules provide order. They give instructions and keep you safe. Relationships are established when working with a group of people for an extended time. As a result, you may miss the deadline to submit your team reviews to Human Resources, but since you have an established relationship, the HR team allows you to be a day late without consequence. However, this should not be abused. These established relationships should be respected. Your friend is not “acting funny” because she reprimanded you for not doing your job when she became a manager. She is doing her job. The guy in Legal is not “trippin’” because he did not allow you to submit a document for review during the 30-day blackout period. Taking advantage of work relationships and constantly trying to circumvent the rules with an “I’m sorry, but…” impacts your working relationships negatively and will cause others to not want to work with you. Consistently missing deadlines because we are friends tells me that you do not respect me. It shows a disregard for my rules and my feelings. It tells the other person that you are more important than their need to meet their own deadlines and requirements.
It is assumed that a person’s ability to speak with correct grammar is closely tied to their level of education. While this may not be an accurate measure of wisdom, it does not excuse your ability to deliver your message in the best method possible. You should want your message to be clear, effective, and easy for the intended audience to understand.
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