Become a More Effective Communicator

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to spend a day with Larry Smith. Larry is the author of, The Best Advice in Six Words, and also happens to be the real life husband of Piper Kerman (above), the person from which the show, Orange Is the New Black is based. Larry had everyone in our small group stand up and describe ourselves in six words. It’s amazing how much you can convey in six words when you are forced to do it, and how this simple exercise can help you become a more effective communicator. It got me thinking about the quality of our daily communication.

Have you ever been in a conversation and wished the person opposite you would get to the point? How about those times where you hear yourself droning on, but you just can’t stop talking? There is something to be said for the ability to make your point or tell your story in as few words as possible.

We live in a world of sound bites and Tweets

People have limited attention spans. There are simply too many outlets competing for our attention. Being heard today requires you to be brief and impactful. That means you must find a way to choose your words wisely.

Stories are an effective way to gain attention

People are naturally drawn to a good story. When you need to make an acknowledgement or convince people to see your point of view, begin with a compelling story that has relevance to your message. Once your story has your audience engaged, transition to the content at hand. Your transition is critical. It should succeed in tying your opening story to the point(s) you want to make.

Deliver your message in a memorable format

The clearer your messaging, the easier it is to remember and repeat. If you tell people what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them, they have gotten the message three times. The odds that they remember it are significantly higher. There is something profound about the number three. In my experience, the biggest incremental lift in retention seems to come when going from hearing things two times, to hearing them three times. I have found that three is the maximum number that people are willing to tolerate. Going beyond three can be perceived as redundant and may cause them to mentally tune out.

Prepare/rehearse before you speak

When you know you will be delivering an important message, why not take the time to think it through? Rehearse what you would like to say in advance. It could be a critical discussion with a loved one, an idea for an initiative you want to bring up at a meeting, or a discussion with your boss for a raise. Saying it out loud provides an opportunity to test drive the language and work out the kinks.

When you get your message to land consistently, you have become a more effective communicator. Less is more, stories improve impact, and structure keeps listeners engaged. Next time you have an important message to convey, take the time to work it through before you deliver it. Your will have greater impact on your audience as a result. Send me a note and let me know how it goes. [email protected]