The quote “The only place that success comes before work is in the dictionary" is attributed to Vince Lombardi. Do you agree? I do.
This post is the eighth and final post in a series examining the qualities and skills needed to be an effective communicator. These are qualities and skills that can be learned and improved with practice.
They are discussed in the first edition of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide and as we approach a revision of this book, this series will help begin the process of revisiting and expanding on these fundamentals.
The first post introduced the series by asking the question: What qualities and skills are needed to be an effective communicator?
The second post discussed the importance of being genuinely courteous, gracious, and respectful.
The third post explored the importance of being flexible and teachable.
The fourth post looked at the importance of demonstrating integrity and responsibility.
The fifth post explored the value of social intelligence.
The sixth post discussed professionalism and how it relates to being an effective communicator.
The seventh post looked at the importance of teamwork.
This post looks at the importance of having a strong work ethic.
What do we mean by work ethic?
Merriam-Webster defines work ethic as “a belief in work as a moral good: a set of values centered on the importance of doing work and reflected especially in a desire or determination to work hard.”
According to the human resources website Workable, work ethic is “a set of values guiding professional behavior, encompassing integrity, responsibility, quality, discipline, and teamwork. It's crucial for success as it drives productivity, fosters employee satisfaction, and enhances a company's reputation, thereby contributing to individual and organizational achievements.”
Work ethic encompasses all the qualities covered by this series describing an effective communicator: courtesy, respect, flexibility, teachability, integrity, responsibility, social intelligence, professionalism, and teamwork.
How does our work ethic relate to being an effective communicator?
Work ethic relates directly to effective communication because of all the qualities listed above. Essentially, when someone has a strong work ethic, they get the job done and done well.
They do not procrastinate so they have adequate time to connect with their audience, do the research needed to create thorough and accurate messaging, and write, review, revise, repeat. They do not throw work together at the last minute. As a result, they avoid miscommunication, such as misinformation, misalignment, and misspelling.
Communicators with a strong work ethic are consistent and can be counted on to do the work well and on time. In short, they create quality work and follow through on their commitments.
How is your work ethic? If you want to succeed, value hard work without losing life balance.
For more, look at these related posts:
That’s the list – courtesy, grace, respect, flexibility, teachability, integrity, responsibility, social intelligence, professionalism, teamwork, and work ethic. Which one do you need to focus on to be a more effective communicator?
"You can control two things: your work ethic and your attitude about anything." ~ Ali Krieger
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