How you look physically and mentally at your workplace is as essential to climbing the success ladder as your work and expertise. Surprisingly, many often overlook how their intelligence is looked at while at work. If you think hard work and good connections are the only things that matter to be a successful professional, it is time to strike that notion. A major factor helping you stand out is your intelligence quotient.
However, many just don’t pay attention to this detail or feel it is not essential. Dr. Taylor Elizabeth, Emotional Intelligence and Etiquette Coach, and Founder and CEO of The Elegance Advisor, believes that small habits create big perceptions. “Even if you’re highly capable, certain behaviours make people assume you’re less informed or attentive, or even a thinker. In a workplace, perception shapes opportunity. These mistakes affect how colleagues trust your input, whether leaders see you as ready for more responsibility, and how confidently people rely on you. Over time, it can slow your momentum, limit visibility, and make you work twice as hard to get the same recognition.”
Here are some common mistakes that make you look unintelligent:
Talking before thinking
When you start speaking before thinking and forming your thoughts, it means you are quick to react and appear to be answering without any lucidity. You appear impulsive or informed to the person(s) before you. Dr Taylor mentions, “The key thing to change this mistake is to pause for two to three seconds before responding. You can also ask questions to clarify things and improve your understanding. Ask structured questions like “From what I understand… here are the key points…”. This signals composure, intelligence, and confidence.”
Rambling on
Dr Taylor feels this mistake is a major aspect in harming your intelligent image, as long and unfocused answers can lower your main message and make you look unsure of yourself. “To change it, practice concise communication using the Point–Reason-Example method. State the headline first, then support it. End with a clear takeaway.” You should understand that conciseness allows you to express clarity of thought, which is the hallmark of smart professionals.
Quality of emails or messages
This can be a major mistake that allows others to consider your intelligence less. Typos, indistinctive requests, little to no structure, or overtly casual language are signs of carelessness, despite your strong work levels. Dr Taylor suggests reading every message for clarity and tone at least once, opting for formatting like bullets, spacing, and headers for an organised look, and keeping a direct, warm, and professional tone. When your communication is polished, it immediately increases your intelligence and reliability perception.
Not acknowledging mistakes
This can be the biggest mistake to not owe your mistakes. What happens with blaming circumstances or others for your errors is making you look defensive and immature, and it lowers trust in you and your credibility. Dr Taylor suggests acknowledging the issue on a clear note and giving no excuses. She wants you to share your learnings and the corrective action regarding the same. And go ahead to follow through on what you say. When you take responsibility, you are seen as emotionally mature, which in turn is seen as intelligent.
Not being prepred for meetings
You are considered someone with little to no discipline if you arrive unprepared for meetings. It also lowers others’ confidence in your intelligence and skills. Dr Taylor states, “To change this, review the agenda and key documents in advance. Come with questions or insights. And summarise action items clearly at the end. Preparation demonstrates seriousness, competence, and strategic thinking.”
To err is human. But to err at work by looking unintelligent is a serious issue that can be rectified by following the simple tips.
