Hi!
Public speaking can be nerve-wracking (it's not just you...)
Just "try to calm down" is a typical recommendation: take deep breaths as you're getting ready to speak, etc.
But what if - instead of battling normal feelings of anxiety - you took an alternative strategy that was both easier and more beneficial to your speech-performance?
That's the point Harvard Business School professor Alison Wood Brooks, Ph.D. makes in this week's resource.
Link to the post and Key Take-Aways and Editorial Comments are below. Add your own views in Your Turn.
Now...your One for the Week!
Study
Professor Alison Wood Brooks, Ph.D.studied similarities between the biochemical reactions triggered by anxiety and excitement, both of which are "arousal emotions."
Similarities between anxiety and excitement make it easier to go from anxiety to excitement than anxiety to calmness.
Redirecting your energy to excitement ("I get to share my hard work") can breathe life into your presentation, as your energy is picked up by listeners who return the favor - becoming more engaged in your talk.
Share your excitement when you present to your audience, and you'll find more eye contact and more attention from your listeners.
Why?
Robert Cialdini, Ph.D., Arizona State University emeritus professor who's considered the godfather of influence-building, explains in his Universal Principles of Influence that: "Simply put, people are obliged to give back to others the form of a behavior, gift, or service that they have received first."
Give energy, get engagement.
Fill in your contact information to receive newsletters like this once per week.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Energized presenters can breathe life into dull, dry topics.
Similarities between anxiety and excitement make it easier to go from anxiety to excitement than anxiety to calmness.
The next time you're getting ready to give an important talk or engage in a high-stakes communication, try to focus on all the good things that could happen if you do well, not the negatives resulting from a poor performance, according to Professor Wood Brooks.
And remember: data does not speak for itself. Your delivery shapes the way your audience receives and reacts to your talk.
So don't try to calm down. Get fired up!
What do you think? Any stories or suggestions from your own experience?
Let me know, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.
Hi!
How you deliver verbal communication - gestures, tone, pauses, for example - has a major impact on the way listeners receive your message.
But we often put little or no thought into these essential physical elements.
In this TEDx talk, you'll hear from David JP Phillips, who spent 7 years studying 5,000 speakers, amateurs and professionals. Phillips detailed every single skill a communicator uses to deliver a message.
Phillips shares the 5 most important ones to bring with you to your next presentation or even everyday communication.
Link to the video and Key Take-Aways and Editorial Comments are below. Add your own views in Your Turn.
Now...your One for the Week!
Video | 8 minutes | Link
Effective delivery elements reinforce and reflect the content of your verbal communication.
They help listeners understand what you're saying. They affect what listeners think and feel during your talk.
Pausing in your talk, for instance, signals listeners you're about to make an important point, and they should pay particular attention.
As you're creating your presentation or high-stakes verbal communication, include these physical cues in your preparation process. Be deliberate about how you'll convey your important message, not just what you're going to say.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
If we think about them at all , we often expect the physicality of our verbal communication - gestures, tone changes, movements back and forth - to occur naturally.
And they should feel like a natural extension of what we're saying.
However, when we're not intentional about this physical aspect, we often find ourselves nodding "No" at the same time our words are aimed at triggering an affirmative response or positive feelings from listeners.
Or using the same volume and tempo in introductory, "administrative" comments at the beginning of our talk as when we're delivering the key points of our entire remarks.
That's the irony: these physical aspects should naturally reflect and reinforce our speech, but if we're not deliberate about them, they can undercut and distract from what we're saying.
Thinking through and planning beforehand how you'll communicate on this non-verbal channel will help you deepen your impact with listeners in ways consistent with your words.
What do you think? Any stories or suggestions from your own experience?
Let me know, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.
Hi!
Imagine if small adjustments in the way you communicate could ethically deepen your impact and help you interact with others more effectively.
In fact, a few mindset adjustments can actually produce significant, positive results in your professional and personal life through improved, informed communication.
This article written by Julien C. Mirivel, Ph.D., professor of applied communication at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, outlines 6 specific and small ways you can inspire the people around you, build authentic relationships, and create a better social world at home and work.
The link to the post and Key Take-Aways and Editorial Comments are below. Add your own views in Your Turn.
Now...your One for the Week!
Article | 2115 Words | 16 minutes | Link
The overarching mindset shift enabling you to achieve your goals and deepen your impact: View communication as listening and relating to others not merely transmitting information.
Connect on a human level - by acknowledging and greeting first and then conveying information.
As part of the New Zealand Language at Work project, researchers studied over 500 emails from two organizations: one company experiencing a lot of conflict, low morale, and turnover, and another with a highly positive culture.
The researchers noticed something striking:
In the organization where people did not get along, emails sounded like this: "The meeting is at 3:00 p.m."
But in the company where people were getting along, emails sounded more like this: "Hi everybody. Hope you are doing well. Looking forward to seeing you at our meeting on Friday at 3:00 p.m.Have a great week.Warmly, John."
Greeting people, acknowledging them on a human level first, and listening for similar or shared experiences creates the foundation for positive interactions and deeper impact when you then incorporate these behaviors and information in your communication.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
The practices in this article represent major elements in an approach I call "Connect before you communicate."
When you connect before you communicate, you ask - not just announce - as you interact; specifically, you show genuine curiosity to surface similarities so you can authentically relate to listeners.
Identifying shared experiences, affinities ("You a dog person too!?"), and friends or colleagues you have in common creates feelings of being understood and seen. These are critical precursors to actually getting heard when you interact with others.
The next time you're getting ready to send an email, address a group, or talk to a work colleague, "connect before you communicate". You may be surprised by the positive differences in how you're received.
What do you think? Any stories or suggestions from your own experience?
Last week's One for the Week about ways to reduce misunderstandings prompted one reader, Olle Bergman - a communications consultant, public speaker and professional writer in Sweden - to point out the importance of volume and repetition in clear communication from his experience during his military service. Having your listeners repeat or validate what you've said can be useful, as Olle noted.
Let me know, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.
Hi!
Does your team sometimes fail to act on your instructions or respond in the way you intended?
Do you feel frustrated when you've clearly delivered your message, but it doesn't seem to be getting through to listeners?
Insufficient follow-through by team members might be interpreted as a lack of commitment or effort. But it actually could be something else entirely: miscommunication or misunderstanding.
In Michael Hyatt's blog post below, he explains how we sometimes contribute to this dynamic and what we can do about it.
The link to the post and Key Take-Aways and Editorial Comments are below. Add your own views in Your Turn.
Blog Post | 587 Words | 3 minutes | Link
Verify understanding with your listeners at the start so you're confident your message is understood the way you intend.
The so-called "curse of knowledge" means that when you know something, it’s hard to remember or relate to the fact other people don’t.
To avoid this pitfall, try to put yourself in the place of your listeners; ask yourself how you can position them to successfully implement your message. What's everything they need to know - even if it seems obvious to you.
Once you've conveyed your message, keep communicating about it. People are busy and distracted. They forget things they should remember—things they want to remember. Communication is not a one-and-done event. Communicate again. And again.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Effective communication starts with creating a safe space to ask questions, seek clarification, and engage.
I call this dynamic "Connect before you communicate."
When people don't feel comfortable, seen, or valued, "verifying understanding", as recommended above, consistently can produce a reflexive "false positive", with the recipient of the information sensitive to being perceived as incompetent for seeking clarification.
An emotionally intelligent organizational environment needs to be cultivated first. Without it, frustration over misunderstandings are more likely, even if the guidance above is diligently followed.
What do you think? Any stories or suggestions from your own experience?
Let me know, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.
Hi!
You can build your influence with authenticity and integrity - even if you're not "the big boss".
And it doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming.
I recently interviewed Gwen Acton, Ph.D., CEO of Vivo Group, on my weekly podcast, When Science Speaks. During our conversation, Gwen shared a story about how, years ago, a small gesture from her boss at her college newspaper, The Daily Pennsylvanian, made her feel empowered and energized.
As you'll hear in the clip, this one gesture made such a large and lasting impression on Gwen. It's a vivid memory even now, when she is the boss.
The link to the clip and Key Take-Aways and Editorial Comments are below. Add your own views in Your Turn.
Now...your One for the Week!
Audio Clip | 211 Words | 1 minute, 6 seconds | Link
We often underestimate the power of simple gestures - praising a team member for a job well done, actively listening to a new idea or concern.
You can start improving the performance of your team today by applying this simple, yet powerful, practice.
Recognizing your people, even just writing a "You're doing a great job" post-it note and leaving it on their desk can make a big difference.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Influencing human behavior - increasing teamwork, triggering new ideas, prompting greater initiative among your people - starts by affecting the way people feel about their surroundings.
Do people feel recognized and appreciated for their efforts at work, for example?
If they do, such positive feelings can lead them to think more favorably about their environment.
And when people have more such positive thoughts, they're more likely to act on them in new, productive ways.
Seeking to improve performance by increasing the positive feelings your team has about the work is neither manipulative nor deceptive.
Rather, it's addressing a fundamental human need all of us share: to feel relevant and respected.
What do you think? Any stories or suggestions from your own experience?
Let me know, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.
Mark Bayer served as a Chief of Staff in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives during a 20-year career as a Congressional staff member. He's worked as a management consultant at PwC and co-founded a non-profit organization for disadvantaged youth.
Mark now teaches scientists, engineers, and executives how to advance their priorities with key decision makers using the RISE|System™️, a unique methodology incorporating proven strategic communication and influence-building principles crafted during two decades of work in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
