How to be an excellent communicator

Communication is the art of taking what you know & connecting with people in such a way that they want to grow & move into that which you have communicated to them.
Communication is one of the first skills a human learns. If you have ever seen a baby, you will notice that soon after birth that little bundle of ‘joy’ realises that the ‘cry’ invokes certain responses from parents. At first, the parents are at the whim of the babies cry, however every parent knows that there are different forms of crying. There is a cry that says, ‘I’m hungry!’ another which says, ‘I’ve got trapped wind!’, another which says ‘I want some attention’ and still another that communicates a dislike to the big brother banging the baby on the head with an inflatable cricket bat. The baby learns that the way it communicates has the effect of getting the response he requires.
Understanding the response you require determines the manner in which you will communicate to your listener. What are some of the keys to effective communication?

1. Passion
‘Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot.’ D. H. Lawrence (1885 - 1930)
What can be worse than listening to people who seemed bored with the content they are communicating? The teachers from school we remember the most were the ones who taught their subjects with a passion to get their students to catch their passion for the subject. Passion is not taught, it is caught!

2. Conviction
Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965), Speech, 1941, Harrow School.
Passion is the fruit of conviction. When you have a conviction that what you are saying is true and or beneficial for the listener, you will speak with a greater degree of passion. Conviction is found through, research, personal experience & belief. Belief in what you are communicating is essential to influencing the listener to take on board and process your words.

3. Understand & be clear
Clarity of mind means clarity of passion, too; this is why a great and clear mind loves ardently and sees distinctly what it loves. Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662)
I have discovered that when I have been unclear on the subject I am trying to convey, it has taken me longer to deliver the concept. When you understand clearly what you are trying to get across, you are more able to speak simply, with clarity & thus enabling your listener to run with that which you are communicating. The most irritating speakers, are those who are trying to communicate a concept they are yet to grasp. You can see them squirming as they speak, because it is not clear to them & therefore not clear to anyone else. (I know this from personal experience). The lesson is K.I.S.S – Keep It Simple Stupid!

4. Keep them guessing
Every listener has a ‘broker area’. As you read this now you are employing your ‘broker area’. The broker area is the part of your mind that likes to finish sentences for people, or work out the plot of a movie before it ends. If I was to count 1…..2….3….out loud, your mind would immediately count 4 before I had a chance to. If the listener can guess what is coming, they will switch off. You have become boring because they are ahead of you. Surprise the listener. Don’t just speak on subjects from the usual angle. Be a 3-Dimensional speaker! We all know about the story of Larry Walters who attached balloons to his deck chair and floated to 11000 ft. But why not speak about Larry Walters from the view of his best mate, his wife or even one of the balloons attached to the chair. Thinking out of the box is essential to good communication.

5. Tell story (Imagination)
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. Thomas A. Edison (1847 - 1931) ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge... ‘ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
Who doesn’t like a good story? Every child wants one at night, every adult wants to read a good one or watch a good one unfold on DVD or at the cinema. A good story telling ability is crucial. Jesus Christ was one of the greatest communicators of all time. He influenced a worldwide revolution in thinking, attitude and behaviour and yet he communicated through parables (stories).
The best way to learn story telling is to tell children stories. They will be honest enough to let you know if you are great, average or boring. If you can hold a child glued to a story, then you will find that captivating the attention of an adult is even easier!

6. Practice
Practice is the best of all instructors.
Publilius Syrus (~100 BC) Habit, my friend, is practice long pursued, that at last becomes man himself. Evenus
Stand in front of the mirror. Practice your address to an imaginary audience. Imagine their response; pause for laughter, learn the content. Every great communicator practiced for a long time before you got to hear them.

7. Process
The process by which you think through your address is essential for clear delivery of your message. One of the clearest ways of processing your address is to think POINT, ILLUSTRATION, APPLICATION. In each part of your delivery, make a simple point, illustrate it through story and then apply it to your listener. Whether you are making ten points or two – State the point, tell the story & apply it to your listener. It is simple, effective & fun. (Remember the broker area!!)