A recent Harvard Business Review (HBR) article got me thinking about how we sometimes limit our own career success by failing to identify, or more importantly, take action to improve a skill that would pave the path forward.

The article mentioned several generalized career limiting habits, such as procrastination or anger management. At Point Taken, we would add poor communication skills – especially when addressing groups – to this list.  The ability to communicate effectively to any size audience is needed for everyone building a successful career. We consider our work as coaches to support our clients and help them remove obstacles to their success as a key driver of why we do what we do.

As you look forward in your career path, if you see yourself wanting to climb the ladder to positions of greater responsibility and scope, or you have the need to convince others’ of your ideas, please take a moment to think about your skills as a communicator.

It’s worth a little investment to read about the skills that make a great communicator – one that is seen as passionate, knowledgeable and authentic – and then create a plan to practice these skills before you need to use them. Judging by the number of videos on the internet, many engaged couples spend considerable time developing and practicing a ‘first dance’ for their wedding. What might happen if you put just that much effort into planning and preparing your skills as a communicator, for the moment when you really need to be successful?

Here’s a link to the HBR article that got me thinking – and hopefully, will get you thinking too.   If you want some information to get started, please visit our website for articles on communication skills practice.

Let’s remove the obstacles, and get going!