Want to up your awareness of your audience and improve your communications? Be mindful of what you say (even if you don't utter a word). Try as we might, it's nearly impossible not to let the happenings of our day—the good, the bad and the ugly—impact us. Whether it's the delight of hearing exceptionally good news, or the frustration of discovering your new puppy has destroyed your shoe, we're human, and we're fooling ourselves if we think we can mask those things at the office. The truth? We're all mirrors. What you project is what you reflect, and others will pick up on this, even when you don't mention it. So if you're still angry about your pup's new chew toy when you begin a meeting with your colleagues, you may send off unintended and negative non-verbal cues. Remember, they're still "listening" to you, even if you're not speaking. Rather than have your team believe you're upset with them, consider sharing upfront what happened. This provides two benefits: a way to make you more human and relatable to your team so they can empathize with you, and eliminating any possible miscommunication. #communication #awareness #career #softskills …see more