Public Speaking Tips : Stop Speaking Start Connecting
“Public Speaking Tips : Stop Speaking Start Connecting”
How to connect with the audience?
Check out the below article “Stop Speaking Start CONNECTING” written by Michael A. Podolinsky, CSP.
Enjoy!
Yetti
Immediate Past Club President
Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters Club
“Helping You To Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking and Speak With Confidence!”
Website: http://public-speaking-singapore.com
Blog: http://blog.public-speaking-singapore.com
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©2004 Michael A. Podolinsky
Stop Speaking. Stop Training. Start CONNECTING!
When you speak, who listens? When you train, who learns? When you CONNECT…everyone transforms.
Think of how much time you spent in school. How much do you remember? If you are lucky, 5 to 10%. Why so little? Your teachers, just like mine, shared a ton of content but made no connection.
So how to make connections? Not as easy as sharing information, but here are 8 ways to make connections with people to ensure they get the content as well.
- 1) Smile. It is a conditioned response to years of exposure. A smile almost always accompanies good news. A frown or even neutral face usually bears bad tidings or worthless information. If you wish to connect with people, you need to look approachable and friendly. Look around your office right now. How many smiles do you see? If none, I can promise you, people are not connecting.
- 2) Touch. Sales people who touch prospects are 45% more likely to close a sale. Again a conditioned response to being touched by family and friends who love you. Every day we ‘sell’ our message to others. So touch attendees as they enter the room with a handshake, pat on the back, rest a hand on their shoulder, etc. Touching IS connecting.
Caution: Do not touch people who never touch or those of religions who do not allow touch of the opposite gender. Be appropriate. - 3) Share stories from your heart. Using emotional stories helps us connect with people. You cannot get into their minds until you get into their hearts.
- 4) KISS them. (Keep It Simple Speaker) Less is more and more is less. If I share 8 points here, you may remember 5 or 6. If I share 150, you probably won’t remember any. We connect more often with smaller bits than massive quantities. After 30 minutes of sharing, retention drops dramatically. To really connect, meet more regularly but for shorter, more directed purposes.
- 5) Two-way communication. We all know people who cannot shut up. You meet them and never get a word in edgewise. What do you remember from what they say? Me too…nothing. Hence, let them share (connect) more and they will retain more. Pause after a short sharing and solicit their feedback, approval or how the information relates to them. That ensures communication takes place and fosters real connections.
- 6) Ask questions. Socrates had this down cold. He taught by asking pointed questions until the student provided the right answer. This takes more skill than talking but then, it works. Asking, “How do you see yourself relating better to our customers for the rest of the year?” may produce better results than telling them, “Here are 3 things I want you to do to improve customer service this year.” Asking MANDATES connecting.
- 7) Mental connections. Put them in a place where they can think or feel what you are talking about. Instead of saying, “These 5 policies we need to change.” And listing them. Say, “Have you ever been frustrated about our policy on xyz?” Now they think about how they have been frustrated. Then when you offer the new policy. They will understand why and can embrace it. If they do not agree, getting their feedback at this stage may help you shape an even better policy and more buy-in. THAT is a mental and emotional connection.
- 8 ) Get them all DOING something. Writing, passing out, leading a small group, playing a relevant game, read something out loud as a group, take a pledge together, ANYTHING. Doing is connecting where as passive listening is disconnecting.
These are only 8 ideas out of hundreds of ways we teach people to make CONNECTIONS in our workshops.
For a free issue of our weekly Podolinsky’s Success Series, just visit our content-rich Web site at http://www.michaelpodolinsky.com or our blog at http://www.blog.michaelpodolinsky.com.
Michael A. Podolinsky CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)
CEO - Podolinsky International Pte. Ltd
Developing Passionate Leaders and Teams
equipping them with the skills necessary to succeed.
