Empower your Communication: Seven Quick Tips
Empower your Communication: Seven Quick Tips to Help
By Charles L Harmon
|
|
There is a lot to know about conversation. So much so that most people never really consider or ever realize it. You can watch talk shows, listen to the radio; shut out all the advertisements you hear, and just listen to the many conversations around every day. Yes conversation is everywhere. There are clubs dedicated solely to public speaking. We never really think about it, but even in ordinary conversations certain rules apply when it comes to interaction through words.
It may sound tedious, but even though it’s your mouth that’s working, your brain works even harder to churn out a lot of things you know. It happens pretty much automatically; fortunately for us. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication machine than to know the very person closest to yourself? That would be you.
1. Everyone knows something.
We all learn the basics of grammar and by association, speech, through the many years in school. Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you’ve learned. We all have our limitations, but that doesn’t prevent us from learning more to keep up with things and share some of what we know.
2. Be Humble.
We all make mistakes. Sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, or mispronounce words. We usually realize this when it happens. It happens to all of us at times, especially if we are nervous. Because of this, don’t be afraid to ask the group or even person, if talking to a single person, if you’re saying the right word properly. If they’re unsure about it then you could make a joke out of it. You likely will make everyone laugh and you can get away with the mistake or problem as well.
3. Make Eye Contact when Speaking.
There’s a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It’s important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering. This is sometimes difficult to do in cases where you are talking with someone who may be gorgeous or handsome, when talking with an individual or two.
4. Listen to your Own Voice.
It’s just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be more confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction. It also alerts us to mistakes in our speech, something to consider and correct.
5. Add a Little Humor.
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse, boredom when making a speech. That way, you’ll get the attention of the majority of the crowd or group and they’ll feel you’re approachable and not just some pie in the sky talker.
6. Don’t forget to smile.
A smile says it all, much like eye contact. There’s no point in grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it’s a wake or solemn affair. You can better express what you’re saying when you smile.
7. Preparation – Don’t Forget it.
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand. Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work. You do enjoy it don’t you? You need to get to that point if you have to talk to the public or groups.
These few suggestions are rather informal things you can do to help improve your speech or talking in front of people. They can help to empower yourself when it comes to public or private speaking. It never hurts to be with people, to listen to how they make conversations and meetings more enjoyable as well as educational. This is something you should strive for in your speeches or conversations. You can be the one who everyone looks up to as a model speaker they would like to emulate.
About the Author
Charles is a software developer. He also writes articles for websites. One of his favorite interests is using the Internet for online dating – visit http://unlonely.com. For garden articles and information visit My Garden Delight to glean garden information. Charles is writing about the real life story of Mr. Q, someone with Alzheimer’s disease.
Leave a Comment