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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 only if you want to.
Here are a few ideas on how to improve if you want to do
so!
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 |
