Deborah May produces the Advancing Women newsletter and has the following tips for how you can use action words to make sure you are heard at work:

Deborah advises that women can dilute the impact of their message by being too indirect and avoiding verbs and provides the following tips:

1. Use more verbs. They generate action.

2. Don’t say, ‘I was the director…’ Do say, ‘I directed..’

3. Don’t say, ‘I need you to complete that by noon.’  Do say, ‘please complete this by noon.’

4. Don’t say, ‘I made a contribution by..’ Do say, ‘I contributed by …’

5. Don’t say, ‘it would be helpful if lunch were served at noon.’ Do say, ‘please serve lunch at noon.’

6. Don’t say, ‘is the mail in?’ Do say, ‘please bring in the mail.’

Find out more at www.deborahmay.com