Do you have ideas you attempt to convey that don’t come out the way you need them to?
You’re in a meeting, you have something brilliant to say, and it doesn’t come out right. You may have spoken too fast, forgotten what you wanted to say, or the words just came out wrong!
Or how about when things escalate? Whoa! Someone just said something offensive to you! Suddenly you’re seeing red, and no words come at all!
Two days later, you think, “I know exactly what I should’ve said!”
Who are those folks who get their message across effortlessly?
You know the people who can speak straightforwardly; they seem peaceful even when in the hot seat!
Their speech is authoritative yet warm. Whenever they speak, people readily follow their call to action. They get their message across articulately, & they have charisma!
They have executive presence and can even deliver bad news with aplomb.
People who get their message across articulately and effortlessly do the following:
- They’re relaxed in high-stakes situations.
- Use extremely concise language.
- Have a warm tone of voice & smooth speech.
- Allow enough air out, so they don’t sound nervous.
- Make messages listener-centric.
- Keep upspeak & filler words to a minimum (if at all.)
- Use open body language and engaging facial expressions.
You can quickly learn these techniques! We’ll delve deeper further into this blog post.
Everything you're good at, you've learned & practiced.
The third reason you aren’t crystal clear & highly persuasive when you speak is that you think you should know how to do it automatically.
If you want to learn tennis or golf, you learn from a pro. If you’re going to learn an instrument, you take lessons. Heck! Beethoven had a coach his entire life!
But you can learn the techniques. The good news is it’s not brain surgery.
Did you know that children were taught communication skills in school until about 175 years ago? Yes, they were intensively schooled in the art of conversation (which we pejoratively call small talk presently.), oration (we call it public speaking), rhetoric (also demonized, but back then, it was just an unemotional discussion.), etc. That’s why adults were so well-spoken in those days.
So wonder no more why you have to practice the techniques to become an incredible speaker.
How to get your message across articulately
Take classes with me or take The Voice Spa. This is the easy way out, kids. It’s the fastest way and will take you the furthest.
But if you’re not yet willing to spend money, I get it. That’s why I spell it all out for you on this blog. So read the following and do each step thoroughly.
You may at least want to take some microsessions to get some feedback from me. It says to use What’s App (and there’s a link to my What’s App), and that’s cool, but you can also share a Google folder with me, and we’ll communicate that way.
This is not only egregious self-promotion. Everyone needs help in this area! 🙂
Be in your relaxed place.
People have no idea how much tension they have in their musculature! It continues to build until we pull a muscle in our back or our shoulders have big knots.
Then we think we should go to the masseuse or that yoga will fix it. Probably not. Besides, that’s outsourcing your relaxation. You must learn to eliminate the tension from the inside.
Being concise is an essential step in getting your message across.
Here’s an article telling you exactly how to be concise. Stop using the word “and.” Put a pause where you usually say “and.” Stop overexplaining.
It’s not something that happens overnight. You have to put in the time. Record yourself speaking and then revise for redundancies and superfluousness.
9 Secret Steps to Influencing Others
Want to be more influential? We all want to communicate our most important messages in a way that encourages others to take action. Whether that action is voting for our candidate or picking up milk from the store, the words we use and how we speak play a huge role in getting the job done.
Use an authoritative yet warm voice so people will follow you.
You weren’t taught these techniques at any time in your life. But this is something you need to know for your success. So you can climb the ladder in your career.
If, after you speak, people aren’t saying, “Wow, that’s a great idea!” And if they aren’t looking at you for answers, you need to work on being authoritative yet warm. It’s a no-brainer!
Upspeak and vocal fry have to go. And don’t forget to reduce your filler words.
Body language is a big part of conveying your message!
Here are some body language fixes you can take advantage of right now!
Keep your shoulders down and your arms open. Don’t cross your legs, and make sure you’re sitting at the back of your chair. 🙂
I feel like I’m making demands! You MUST do this and that! But it’s because I love you, and I want you to succeed more than anything. I think it’s unfair that they stopped teaching communication skills in school.
Let me know if you want me to come to your school and design a curriculum for your kids. We don’t want them to go through what we went through—avoiding situations that will help out careers.
I want to hear from you! Comment below!
An Introduction to Accent Reduction
This brief introduction will get you started on the road to speaking Standard American English.
The Voice Spa online course.
Introducing the Voice Spa online video course, where you will learn to become an exceptional communicator! Get ready to transform your communication skills and confidently take on high-stakes situations. In this course, you will learn how to speak concisely and magnetically, capturing the attention of your audience.
Each lesson provides tools and techniques to elevate your communication to the next level.
With dedication and practice, you will soon master the skills to confidently and effectively communicate in any situation. Sign up today and unlock your full potential as a communicator. Let’s get started!
Coauthor F-35: The Inside Story of the Lightning II
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I’m never concise! I explain stuff many times over! I feel like people aren’t understanding me so I keep saying the same thing over and over, just with different words.
People often tell me that I sound mean or condescending! And I’m not being mean or condescending!
These are good tips. I like how you organized it.
Love these tips.
I’ve been working lately on how I could be more articulate and this hits the nail on the head.
Thanks for the tips
My pleasure, Emmanuel! Keep up the great work improving your communication skills! I’m here for you when you need help!
I am interested purely in elocution.
Can you provide that?