1. Apologising too much
Stop apologising for everything! As women we are used to starting sentences, emails and even presentations with an apology. Unless you've done something to offend someone don't apologise. It's often unnecessary and draws attention to your weaknesses rather than your strengths, especially if it's at the beginning of any communication.
Read more: 4 important steps women can take towards leadership
2. Using the word 'just'
I know this one is really well know, so I won't dwell on it too much. The other day I met a well-dressed woman at a networking event. I said "What do you do?" she said "Oh I'm just an Accountant.". When you add the work 'just' to something you demean it and make it less important.
3. Weakening your own argument
Phrases like "I guess we could..." or "I think we could..." weaken the argument before anyone has even disagreed with you (often to prevent confrontation). It ends up sounding too soft and you lose the respect of your peers (particularly the alphas). You need to firm up your language when you're putting forward an idea or argument. Just get right to it "We should...".
Read more: Authentic leadership and what it means for culture
4. Going up at the end of your sentences
Are you an up-talker? Up-talking is when you go up with your tone of voice at the end of your sentences as if you were asking a question. Up-talking makes you sound more like a receptionist and less like an executive. Sorry ladies but there it is. This is something you must work on. You voice should be balanced, but still interesting and expressive.
5. Talking too much and too fast
I know it's a stereotype that "women talk too much" but I still see this, especially in meetings. They feel this need to be heard and I completely understand that. I find that some women who talk too much also ending up talking too fast, so they come across as overwhelming and difficult to understand.
Read more: The right conversations can close the gender gap
6. Using too much jargon
Women often want to up-sell their technical expertise so they can compete in fields where they are in the minority as a result their language can sound overly technical, harsh and dull. You need to minimise your technical jargon unless it's serving a meaningful purpose.
7. Smiling too much.
This one might surprise you, but I see it all the time especially with Millennials. Bright vivacious young women who smile way too much and don't know how to (or when to) look serious and intense. Smiling too much (or too little) is part of your overall body language, which you should become familiar with and learn to manage, because so much of communication is non-verbal. I'll address this more in future articles.
I believe that at the root of all these habits is a lack of self-esteem and confidence. The truth is that this article can help you work on the outside, but the real cause is much deeper. You need to believe in yourself and go into every situation with an "I can deal with anything" attitude.
Read more: 7 habits of highly effective managers
If you are inspired and would like to join the revolutionary movement that Imalia is creating, you can request to join our Facebook group The Wolfpack, to share ideas and learn from other like-minded women.
This is an edited version of a story that first appeared on LinkedIn.