Contributing Writers: Stephanie Bickel and Madina Behori
A pet peeve is a behavior that generates annoyance in others. This could be chewing loudly, driving slowly, or -- in the age of COVID -- coughing without covering your mouth.
Pet peeves exist at work too, especially when it comes to communication. Oftentimes, our communication pet peeves are words or phrases that are overused or used incorrectly. However, they can also be actions that we are taking unconsciously.
How many of these communication pet peeves are you guilty of doing?
Saying "um" and "like" too much
Ending sentences with "does that make sense?" or "do you follow?"
Not looking at someone when they are talking
Scanning the room and avoiding eye contact when you are talking
Being visibly distracted (especially during online meetings)
Arranging meetings to discuss things that “could have been an email”
Using too much jargon or buzz words
Not having an agenda or not sticking to one during a meeting
Interrupting others
Not getting to the point quick enough or giving too much detail
Reading from the slides during a presentation
Using passive aggression instead of directly confronting a problem
Having an attitude of self-importance
We all have blind spots. Hopefully, this helped to illuminate some of yours. However, if you're still not sure, share this list with a co-worker and see what they think or bring it to a performance check-in and discuss it with your boss.
Remember, awareness is the first step in making a change, and you are already there.
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