3 Big Things That Will Make You A Confident Communicator in front of your audience!
From 1 to 10 (Ten being the highest), how would you rate yourself as a communicator?
And what do you think about this statement?
“Every Public Speaker is a Communicator, but not every Communicator is a Public Speaker!”
Becoming a great communicator is not easy. It requires interest and commitment. Before we get into today’s lesson, let’s define “Communicator” vs “Public Speaker.”
When I first started my journey of wanting to become a better communicator, I had the wrong understanding of what a communicator was. I thought that a great communicator was automatically a public speaker.
I was wrong!
Public speakers usually go on stage and speak to a larger audience. Their speech is more structured and planned. In almost all cases, it’s a one-way conversation. “Here’s the value take it, do something with it, and when my time runs out, I’m gone!’
A communicator is different.
A communicator is you and me. Having a conversation with your significant other, your coworker, or even that awkward conversation that most of us try to avoid – You know the one where you get stuck with a stranger in the elevator, and now you feel like you need to say something, or the world is going to end. Those types of conversations make you a communicator.
Let me ask you!
What has been the most interesting conversation you’ve ever had in your life so far?
Leave it in the comments or send me an email. I would love to know.
Ok, so how can we improve our communication skills?
Here’s 3 things to do that will help you become a great communicator.
· Intentional Listening – is a valuable gift.
Intentional listening is one of the best gifts you can give a person with whom you are trying to connect.
Why? Because when we do intentional listening, we are saying to the person in front of us, “Hey, I care about you.” I’m sure you’ve had an experience where you was trying to share an opinion, idea, or thought with someone and they were looking at their phones instead of putting their full attention on you. Heck, I used to do this back in the days I was a terrible listener until I learned how to communicate and connect with others.
Here’s a tough challenge in intentional listening – The toughest part of “Intentional Listening” is stopping the urge to interrupt the conversation.
If you struggle with this, no worries, you’re not alone. Lots of people do it. I was terrible at it. Not only did I not listen well, but I also interrupted people all the time.
When someone shared a problem or issue they were having in their life, I wanted to jump in and give a solution, when in reality, they never wanted a solution, they just wanted me to “LISTEN.”
Next time you feel the urge to interrupt and give a solution, DON”T! Instead, just listen.
· Interaction – ask questions
One of the non-negotiable things that I do when I am facilitating a room is asking questions. Asking questions is a beautiful way to engage your audience because it makes them feel heard. It’s an easy way to get the conversation going, and it works like a charm to break the ice.
Asking questions will also help you measure the knowledge of your audience, which is a huge thing to know because you can make the same mistake I made at the beginning of my journey. I didn’t take the time to understand my audience, and I ended up delivering irrelevant content. It was a waste of time for them and for me.
Ask questions, get your audience involved, and make sure the message is the right fit for your audience.
· Spotlight – be interested, not interesting.
“Get over yourself, it’s not about you, it’s about your audience.” This is what my coach and mentor, John C. Maxwell, told us in Orlando, Florida, back in 2021, and he’s been repeating the same message every week.
This is 100% true. When you are in front of your audience, it’s all about them and never about you. People hate public speaking because they make it about themselves and forget about the value that they are bringing to their audience.
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I used to have this problem badly until I changed my perspective of who a communicator really is – You (The communicator) are a messenger with a gift.
I remember a time when I was put on the spot, and I was invited to go to the front of the class and facilitate the room.
I had no preparation, no practice, and I didn’t know the material on the PowerPoint, so it was nerve-racking to do that.
Then I remember John’s teaching, and my nerves disappeared. I focused on giving value instead of focusing on how I going to look in front of my audience. I moved the spotlight from me to them, and it worked.
Remember, it’s all about them, never about you!
Hope this helps. Let me know what resonates with you the most. Send me an email or send me a DM on social media. Let’s stay in touch.
See you next week.
Check out other resources below!
Work With Me, One-On-One – 4 Weekly Coaching Calls.
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Things You Will Develop:
· Week 1 _ Mindset
· Week 2 _ Personal Growth Plan
· Week 3_ Communication Skills
· Week 4_ Community
Contact me directly via text/call...
· (281) 839-0200
Send me a direct message with the work “DISC” if you want to take a DISC Assessment to improve your communication skills and to find out what your communication style is.
D - Dominant
I - Influencing
S - Stable
C - Compliant
Contact me directly via text/call...
· (281) 839-0200
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