The Executive Edge

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t; the other half have nothing to say and keep saying it.” 

Having something important to say is half the battle. The other half is being able to say it. Public speaking education tells us that we cannot separate the message from the messenger. In fact, it tells us that the messenger has more influence on the listener than the message itself. So it isn’t just what we say, but how we say it. And not just what we do, but how we do it.

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Continued from the last blog posting. Your style is very important to your message. Below are five style techniques to make your own:

1. Oversimplification: Don’t feel the need to over explain. Our attention span is short (ex. remote control). A good reason to oversimplify is it puts on your listener’s shoulder the responsibility to adequately complicate it. When you can get the listener to say, “hey you have oversimplified that, let me tell you how complicated it really is,” then you really have their attention. 

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The skills and the tools needed for a well-tuned presentation are in your reach. The realities are we all have to work to polish these skills. Most of us won’t pay the price. For those who do, the reward is enormous! What an amazing and dramatic difference the ability to communicate makes in our lives. The better prepared you are, the better you use your tools, the more effective you’ll be in your presentations. Below are three of the tools you already have in your tool box:

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In the previous blog post, I shared that your image is defined by these three areas: 

1. Verbal (the words we use)                    7 %
2. Vocal (the way the words are said)    38 %
3. Visual (gestures, eyes, face, body)     55 %
                                                                 100 %

The image you present to your listener(s) consists of a number of components. They are your…

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The image you present to your listener(s) consists of various components. Powerful presenters have positive images. Ineffective presenters…well, not so powerful or positive. Our image is defined by these three areas:

1. Verbal (the words we use)                  ____%
2. Vocal (the way the words are said)    ____%
3. Visual (gestures, eyes, face, body)     ____%
                                                                     100 %

Before clicking on “continue reading,” what percentages do you think correspond with verbal, vocal and visual above? For example, do you think it’s 33%, 33% and 33%? Or do you think it could be 25%, 25% and 50%? What’s your guess?

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In my last blog post I shared with you the effective traits of speakers we like to see and hear. That’s a question I ask the audience during every one of my Art of Telling presentations. I also ask them to think of someone they’ve heard speak that they didn’t really enjoy listening to. Then I ask them to tell me the traits the speaker exhibited that they didn’t like or care for. Over the years I’ve heard thousands of responses to this question. What’s amazing is their answers are always the same. Here’s what they tell me:

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Over the past twelve years I’ve had the privilege of presenting the Art of Telling to both college students and business organizations. During each presentation I ask the audience to think of someone they’ve heard speak that they really enjoyed listening to. Then I ask them to tell me the traits the speaker exhibited that they really liked. Over the years I’ve heard thousands of responses to this question. What’s amazing is their answers are always the same. Here’s what they tell me:

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Active Listening Skills!

You’ve heard the saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” How true this is! Think about a time when someone didn’t take the time to understand or listen to you. Were you open to what they had to say? When you listen well and have been perceived to have listened well, you help forge the beginning of a productive relationship. Why? Because when you really hear someone else you’re giving the very precious, but all too rare, gift of being understood. Most of us at some time have experienced the power and relief of being truly understood. This provides very strong cement for relationships.

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