Certain people seem to walk into a room and immediately command attention. Their word choices and tone convey both confidence and competence. They don’t even look like they’re trying too hard.
This can be puzzling — even frustrating — if you’re smart and experienced, but feel as if you don’t get the recognition you deserve.
The good news is that top performers’ success isn’t magic, and their communication style can be learned.
As the author of “Managing Up” and a workplace psychology expert who’s spent the last 15 years coaching leaders at Google, Amazon, and other Fortune 500 companies, I’ve identified specific patterns that give you an air of authority, even before you have the matching job title.
When you speak with this level of clarity and conviction, others naturally start looking to you for leadership and respecting you more. Here are five phrases that people with authority use and why they work so well to gain influence.
