|
Question: How many psychologists does it take to
change a light bulb?
Answer: Just one. But the light bulb has to
want to change.
That’s what we tell people when they ask if they
can really improve their communication skills.
Of course you can improve. But, like the light
bulb, only if you want
to. So with many people resolving to improve
their communication skills for the New Year,
here are a few ideas on how to improve.
Practice:
Before your next presentation, practice it out
loud five times from beginning to end without
stopping. By far the biggest reason people are
bad speakers is that they simply don’t
rehearse. Serious rehearsal alone will make
many people instantly better. We worked with one
Investment VP who insisted she was a terrible
speaker. When she practiced her presentation 15
times, she was suddenly considered one of the
best in her company.
Seek opportunities to speak:
We worked with an attorney recently who was a
strong speaker but had the reputation as a poor
one. By seeking out opportunities, he not only
got valuable practice, but he increased his
reputation as a leader and changed his
colleagues’ perceptions.
Pick one area to improve:
Most people would dramatically improve their
overall communication ability simply by focusing
on one area and improving. If you tend to
ramble, focus on making sure that you have a
clear three point outline and sticking to it.
If you have a weak, monotone voice, focus on
sounding excited and passionate.
At Speechworks we help our clients learn how to
give presentations that connect with the
audience. If you’re interested in becoming a
great communicator give us a call at
404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net |
