Communicate with Mastery summary

Anxiety can be a wonderful friend or a powerful enemy. It can increase your energy and get you excited about speaking publicly if you learn how to harness it. But is that just wishful thinking? Well, try out the following strategies and see for yourself.

Strategy number one: Reframe your big presentation as a conversation. Rather than think of it as a speech, view it as just a chat between you and your audience.

The secret to writing well is as simple as ABC – active, brief, and clear. 

The active voice makes the written word energetic and concise, which is more engaging and easier for readers to understand. Consider this sentence, “Tim kicked the ball.” It’s clear and unambiguous.

When pitching for a business venture or collaboration, your pitch content should be memorable and meaningful. But how do you achieve this? First, identify a problem and convince your audience that it needs to be addressed. Then provide a solution that’s missing in today’s market and explain how your business can make the problem better.

Steve Jobs did this when introducing the iPod Nano. He declared, “Imagine a thousand songs in your pocket.” Jobs convinced the world that they had a problem – their songs weren’t conveniently accessible. He also provided a solution – his new iPod Nano. He didn’t focus on the 16GB of memory or its dimensions. Instead, he focused on the benefit to the consumer. Or, in other words, the solution to their problem.

Storytelling is the most powerful tool in connecting with your audience. In fact, crafting a powerful story should move your audience, hold its interest, and make your message, or intended impact, stick.

There are many techniques for telling your story, but the key is to chart a change over a period of time. This change, whether subtle or not, affects your character’s condition, attitude, actions, or feelings.

In the mid-1990s, the author volunteered for SpeakOUT Boston, a speakers bureau on LGBTQ+ concerns. Back then, their events consisted of a 45-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute Q&A. Over time, they realized that the longer speakers spent answering questions, the more the audience enjoyed it. So, they kept reducing the time given to speakers, going as low as 15 minutes with 45 minutes for questions. Their attendees loved it. 

Your identity informs who you are as a leader, communicator, and person. But at times, you may feel that you should alter or change that identity. For example, when speaking publicly in a language that’s not your own, you may worry about whether your listeners understand you. You may even consider reducing or changing your accent. But why not embrace it instead? After all, your accent, along with your traditions and values are central to who you are as a leader. 

But sometimes, the problem isn’t your accent, but how clearly you can express yourself in a non-native language. If that’s your situation, help is at hand.

Do you feel like you need help to be a stronger communicator? Well, you’re not alone. Everyone needs help to get better sometimes. When it comes to mastering the art of communication, you may even need to hire a coach.

But before doing so, it’s important to set some goals. If you need help, consult your trusted mentors and peers. They’ll be able to brainstorm or identify some of your blind spots. Once you know what you want to work on, look for a coach who specializes in those areas.