Busy business people know there’s a fine line between
getting things done and slowing down enough to meticulously get things right. If
an important project is due, we pace ourselves so we have enough time to
complete it and review it before we share it with the powers that be!
But when it comes to speaking & communicating why is it
that we spend little or no time to prepare? Granted, our time is precious and extra time is rare but the
investment of time we spend on sharpening our communication skills can mean the
difference between moving forth polished and ready to make a difference or
being viewed as someone who is ill-prepared and easily forgotten.
The goal in business is to make an impact, build trust,
solidify relationships and grow our businesses! There are many techniques you can use to learn to speak,
listen, converse and deliver so “all of the above” can be accomplished but none
is more important than taking the time to understand
your audience.
Most of the world thinks that communication is all about
output. But you have to remember,
that communication is a “two-way street”.
You send. Then, you
receive. You send. And then receive.
Speaking One on One
Have you ever sat next to someone who doesn’t bother to take
the time to learn about you? These
folks are all about “output”. When
we take time to stop, listen and ask a few questions, our relationships are
must more apt to flourish. Plus, when
we’re able to speak in those situations, if we’ve already given respect to our
“audience”, they’re much more apt to return the favor. And then we become speakers who are better
able to influence because we’ve “opened the lines of communication”.
Now, turn the tables.
Spend just a little time to evaluate someone prior to starting a conversation,
and right away, your “audience” will know that you care. They will also be much more apt to want
to continue the conversation or even collaborate with you (or buy your products
& services) when you take interest in them. Now, mix in a combination of speaking and asking questions
during the conversation, and you’ve begun to develop a relationship built on
mutual respect AND that two-way communication. This kind of “foundation” works wonders with your employees,
counterparts, even superiors because, like all good communication, when we
speak we need to remember that effective conversation and/or presentations are
always more impactful when they’re focused: less on you and more on your audience.
Speaking Before a
Crowd
When preparing for a presentation or keynote, speakers often
spend time on content but fail to take time to fully assess their
audiences. Even if you’ve
yet to meet the group you’re ready to speak to, ask the meeting planner who
will be in the room? What type of
people are they? Why? Because clearly, you’ll address a
roomful of doctors differently than a roomful of say…gourmet chefs!
Once you know who will be on hand, ask yourself what your
audience needs (at this time of day/week/year) so you’re able to first, relate
with them, then, hopefully, inspire them.
Some of what you’re learning here are the secrets to
“unspoken” communication. These
are skills to acquire first…before you choose which words to use or angle to
take on your specific subject.
And they are skills that will get you noticed. We often ask why we were not as impactful
as we could have been after speaking and, more times than not, it’s because
when people speak, they’re thinking too much about themselves and not enough
about their audience. This
is critical while delivering an important, career building presentation.
So, take the time to understand your audience WELL before
you begin to communicate. It will
help you form alliances that are quietly appreciated and often sorely lacking
in business. This will also help
you avoid the thought that makes people stumble more than anything else while
they’re speaking…which is this: “what
are they thinking”!
Remember, you’ve taken the time to answer that question days
or even weeks before your job of communicating began so you’re well ahead of
the game!
Donna Mac,
DMacVoice & Media, Communications Coach & Media
Producer; Speaker
