When answering a question or conveying an idea, do you have difficulty relaying what you mean? The type of communication you hold with friends, university staff and even professors is very different from the type of speech that is most effective in the workplace.

Taking on an internship or even a volunteer experience will put you in a professional atmosphere that you may be foreign in. It's worth a moment of your time to think about how you will communicate with your co-workers and your supervisor in these situations, especially concerning stressful topics or during crisis moments.

To speak the most effectively when communicating problems or issues to a supervisor or boss, make sure that you clearly understand what the issue is and are prepared to articulate it to others. If you feel angry or intensely frustrated over the issue, take time to cool down. It is perfectly acceptable to gather your thoughts. Second, know how you would like to see the issue resolved, or at least have a suggestion at the ready on how to improve the circumstances.

Once you are ready to speak, eliminate weak language. "I" statements are the most notorious for weakening your comments. Just as your professors ban the use of "I" statements in your papers, don't include them in the professional atmosphere. Here's how to turn those sentences around:

1. I am too stressed and over-burneded to take on an additional research project.

Considering these two research projects and quantitative data that I am already working on, an additional project of this size will be too large to handle until next Wednesday.

2. I have a problem with one of the associates in our department; they are not completing their work on time and it has made all of us late in finishing this project.

Our department has been unable to complete this project on time because there is a productivity issue with one of our co-workers.

It is also important to communicate effectively in your daily office interactions. Have you responded to a co-worker or boss' statement with offhand words like "cool" or "that's great" and felt immediately that it was not the best response? Don't worry, every one of us has made this mistake. Here is an example on how to respond with a stronger and more professional comment:

1. Respond with a simple okay. Acknowledging their statement shows that you listened and can now act upon their words or are ready to move on to the next topic.

If you need further clarification on their statement, say something like this: "If I heard you correctly, __________" or, "To clarify, ______________." Make sure to repeat what they said, using the same key phrases that they used while speaking to you.


Resources on Honing Your Speech:

For more tips on managing your communication in the professional space, review these two books.

Words that Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz
Words that Work is incredibly valuable for use in the workplace even though Luntz designed the book to guide people in the political arena. One of the best pieces of advice Luntz offers is to use a few, well-thought out words to convey your meaning instead of delivering a dissertation-like comment. The longer the email, letter or discussion, the less attentive the listener.

How to Say It For Women: Communicating with Confidence and Power Using the Language of Success by Phyllis Mindell
This book is more valuable than you can imagine. It's advice comes from a seasoned professional communications expert and will guide you through handling awkward situations, from working through communication mismatches and misunderstandings to handling hot button issues with dexterity. Each chapter is simply written and easy to digest. You'll be utilizing these principals the same day you read them.

I attend lots of meetings: some formal, some casual, a few impromptu. Most of the time I am paying attention, listening, and taking notes, but sometimes the conversation unexpectedly swings back towards me. The most important thing to do in situations like that is to be prepared!

Here are a few things that will help keep you looking great in the spotlight (and not like a deer in the headlights):

1. Have your business card ready. Keep it in an easily accessible place and pull it out of its case or sleeve gracefully. Always request one in return.
2. Have your elevator pitch ready. You'll need to be able to rattle it off whenever someone starts asking you about you. It'll be disguised in requests like, "Tell me about yourself," "What's your background?" or "What do you do for (insert your company name here)?" Nothing's worse than being caught off-guard. The ability to deliver your elevator pitch with conviction will help you exude confidence, even if you're a little shaky on the inside.
3. Learn some dining and/or business etiquette. I highly suggest attending a workshop with Lisa, our etiquette expert over at Beverly Hills Manners. Chances are, you will all be starting at the entry or intern level. I highly suggest that you defer to those around you. For example, allow more experienced associates to lead the conversation and dining. This is a sign of your respect for them and for the situation.
   

I learned most of those lessons the hard way. Hopefully I can save you a little bit of time and embarrassment!