Communication is something that we do everyday whether in spoken words, emails, text or non-verbally. We often don’t think about it too much until it comes to more formal situations like giving a speech or getting ready for an interview. Then you start really focusing on the words that you are going to say and how you will say them. What messages do you want them to hear from you? It is important to look at it from this perspective so you can be intentional with the way you lay out the information. This article called Communication Strategies for Success by John S. Watson does a nice job of laying out some of the key things to think about when preparing communication for a more formal setting. There were a few tips in this article that I also use when working with clients.
- Keeping it simple
- Don’t overwhelm people with a lot of details
- Use stories to illustrate your points
- Keep it to three things (people can usually remember three things)
- Practice
- What questions might be asked by the audience or during the interview? Prepare some examples that will share the message that you want them to hear.
- Practice what you will say and how you will say it multiple times.
- Make sure that the information flows from one topic to another if you are giving a speech. You want it to be like a story that you are sharing.
- Find Your Voice
- Video yourself and see how you speak. Look at how you stand, what you are doing with your hands, do you make eye contact with people, are you looking at the slides instead of the audience, do you look confident, are you projecting loud enough for them to hear you?
- If you need help with this, then get some help from someone who can give you feedback and help you improve
- If you want people to hear the message then you need to get rid of any of these distractions that could get in the way
Thinking about your communication and preparing for it in an intentional way will ensure you have success. The messages will come out more smoothly and without the hesitation of trying to figure out what you want to say. Get excited to share the information and share your passion for the topic. People will pick up on your excitement and want to hear more. Find ways to make it interactive and allow your audience to be a part of it. Improving communication is no different than anything else in your life where you want to have success. It is a journey that requires commitment, practice and motivating yourself to get better.
I work with clients on mock interviews, communicating with intention and shifting their mindset for success every day. Asking for help is the best way to get the feedback you need to improve. Reach out to me if you are looking for help in any of these areas of your communication!