In these tough times, the general consensus is that if you want to keep your job, you need to be visible. Oh wait a minute….being visible means you have to get out from the comfort of your cubicle. True, but if you’re hiding behind your desk, how is your employer going to know you exist? How will you be able to show you add value to the company? It doesn’t matter what your title is or what your job description is. It doesn’t matter if your job involves being on the road selling or behind a computer programming software. If you’re not visible, you’re not making an impression. And if you’re not making an impression, you might be out of a job.

But being visible isn’t enough to keep your job. If you want people to know who you are and what you can contribute, you also need to be heard. So now you’re thinking not only do you have to emerge from under your desk, but you also have to speak to people. Yes, that’s right, and if you want to keep your job, you’re going to do it. Not only will being seen and heard help you keep your job, but it might even lead to new career opportunities within your company.

Being visible is the easy part. The harder part about getting noticed is engaging in meaningful interaction with the decision makers. You need to let them know who you are, what you can offer. But if you really want to make a great impression, you need to say what you mean and mean what you say. You need to communicate in such a way that will command attention.
In her book How to Use Power Phrases, author Meryl Runion teaches you how to command attention in six easy steps. These tips can be applied in hundreds of job situations. She offers some great advice about using what she calls PowerPhrases. PowerPhrases are words you use so that people get your point, you get what you want, and you succeed at your job. Runion’s tips are indispensable if you want to keep your job, get a raise, move up the career ladder to get that $100k plus job, improve your relationships with others at work, and more. Here are her six secrets of PowerPhrases:

1. Keep it short. If you want to get your message across, less is often more. Avoid fluff and get to the point. Be clear and concise.
2. Be specific. Being vague will leave room for interpretation. You need to communicate in a way that allows your audience to get the point without having to make assumptions.
3. Your words must be targeted. Think about your objective before you speak. Your words should enable you to get the result you want.
4. Say what you mean. Runion says that if you want to speak with power, you need to be honest by telling your listener how you really feel.
5. Mean what you say. Don’t promise something unless you know you can deliver.
6. There is power in nice. Respect your listener.

Runion provides lots of great examples of PowerPhrases that can be applied to virtually every situation. There’s no limit on what you can accomplish when you communicate using PowerPhrases.

Source: www.speakstrong.com