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5 Communication Habits That Are Holding You Back

(and How to Fix Them)

Marshall Hargrave
4 min readFeb 12, 2025
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Communication is the lifeblood of any successful career.

Whether you’re leading a team, pitching to clients, or collaborating with colleagues, your ability to express yourself clearly, listen actively, and build rapport can make or break your professional success.

But even the most skilled and experienced professionals can fall prey to communication habits that undermine their effectiveness and hold them back from their full potential.

Here are five of the most common communication mistakes that can derail your career — and what to do instead:

1. Not adapting to your audience

Photo by davide ragusa on Unsplash

One of the biggest communication mistakes is assuming that what works for one audience will work for all.

Whether you’re speaking to your boss, your team, or a room full of strangers, it’s crucial to tailor your message and your delivery to their specific needs, knowledge level, and communication style.

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Marshall Hargrave
Marshall Hargrave

Written by Marshall Hargrave

Serial entrepreneur. Finance, startups, investing. Catalyst-focused, event-driven. Hip-hop vigilante. On the quest for the best hot chicken.

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