Secrets of excellent communication
Q: What are the secrets of being an excellent communicator? A:
Being someone who is founded in integrity, truthfulness,
sincerity and congruence.
Q: How important is good communication as a leadership skill? A:
It’s number one on the list - but ignorant corporates still
think hatchet men who cut, slash and burn the staff component
are number one.
Q: Is good communication and the art of excellent public
speaking a talent or a learned skill? A: It’s the Edison
formula: 1% inspiration or talent and 99% hard work - with rare
exceptions. Anyone who wants to, can, with effort become a
darned good speaker.
Q: How important is the content/message? A: Paradoxically,
sometimes not as important as the process - the ‘how’ - of what
you do. That’s why misleading motivational speakers still manage
to thrive. However, the process can only ever be the packaging
for the content. So watch it!
Q: How important is delivery/confidence/speaking well? A: This
falls into the realm of linguistic intelligence. I’ve recently
sat through listening to a woman with a great mind, great ideas
and dreadful linguistic intelligence. The greatest idea is worth
little if badly communicated. Confidence is a separate issue -
it may be acted. It won’t be sustainable that way of course, but
it can fool some of the people some of the time. Confidence at
its best is not situational. When you’re confident, even outside
of your comfort zone or field of expertise, that’s probably real
confidence. Confidence is also the visible expression of healthy
self-worth.
Q: How can you develop speaking confidence? A: By focusing on
and further developing what you do well. Circumcising mosquitoes
doesn’t change anything. Identify your forte - and go with it.
If you can’t pinpoint it - go to someone who can.
Q: What techniques can people use to make their speeches
interesting? A: Bear in mind the ‘U-shape’ of concentration
spans. You need to start well, finish well and have anecdotes,
analogies, what I call ’soufflé moments’ (light touches and
humour) in between to maintain the attention levels.
Q: Does voice coaching help? A: There’s an Eastern expression:
‘You can teach a parrot to speak whatever language you will. But
the day a cat catches it, it will revert to its original
tongue.’ Most ‘voice coaching’ is a money-making racket and is
unsustainable. If there’s a very specific defect, such as lack
of projection, poor articulation, lack of resonance etc., these
things can be modified with a degree of success. But it’s like
antibiotics. You have to take ‘em regularly, over a period.
Voice work requires enormous commitment.
Q: Does going to groups like ‘toastmasters’ help? A:
Emphatically - but only to a point. Thereafter it becomes the
blind leading the blind. Rules-based teaching is necessary at
kindergarten level. Later you need a mentor who can unleash your
uniqueness - if you have it - and that’s an art, never a science.
Q: Does mentoring or hiring in experts like speech consultants
and speechwriters help? A: Mentoring’s wonderful. There are
plenty of people around who can assist in taking speeches and
presentations to the next level. It’s at the top level that a
special and similarly gifted individual can and will make the
difference. They’re in short supply.
Q: How do you beat stress and nerves before a big board meeting
or delivering a key talk to analysts, investors or your staff?
A: Nervousness’ is a label. It’s often driven by inappropriate
and perfectionistic fear of failure. Having butterflies is not
only normal but necessary. Without them, you’ll slide into
mediocrity. Acknowledge them, celebrate them, welcome them as
your energy source and use them!
Q: How can you make contact with your audience in a meaningful
way? A: By being utterly you. Carl Jung spoke of ‘authentic
presence’. Meaning we’re physically, intellectually,
emotionally, psychologically and spiritually ‘there’ - in the
moment. Part of us is not trouble-shooting another issue in
another neurological department. Carl Rogers spoke of
‘Congruence’ - in computing terms, WYSIWYG (What You See Is What
You Get). Meaning that what’s on the inside becomes visible (if
appropriate to the circumstances) on the outside. There’s
nothing to beat authenticity when it comes to making a real
connection with an audience.
Q: How can you improve from talk to talk - how can you measure
and improve on your performance? A: The best possible mechanism
is to have a video camera locked off in medium shot or have
someone unobtrusively tape you. Seeing and hearing yourself is
the quickest and most efficient way of constantly improving your
game.
Q: How can you create a high impact opening and strong closing?
A: By finding something - a situation, a story, an example -
relevant to the audience, and preferably with a touch of humour
or emotion. Don’t do summaries at the end. Only poopy
presentations require a ‘What I was trying to tell you’ type
approach.
Q: Are there any things you shouldn’t do when giving a talk? A:
Don’t assume a superior attitude or think that your audience
knows less than you do. Be respectful in language (don’t cuss)
dress, demeanour and content. Custom-craft the event for them -
always doing the same tired old routine because ‘it works’ is
simply unprofessional and a cop-out.
Q: Anything else that is important? A: Move to the next level of
communicating, which in intuition-based. There are few speakers
and presenters in that locale. Prepare your mind and your being
beforehand through prayer, meditation or a process in which you
open yourself to the influence and inspiration of the Universe,
God, the Wise Ones, the Ancestors or whomever you choose to have
aid you. If it sounds daft, it isn’t. Universal wisdom is happy
to flow through us, if invited and respected. And if we promise
not to take ‘ownership’ of any applause, approval or adulation
following from it. We are the instrument, not the author.
