Capitalize on Social Opportunities
In a crowded room you should see a bubble over each person’s head that reads “OPPORTUNITY!” in big bold letters.
Listening is a Sign of Respect
Think of your last conversation. If you remember what you said more clearly than what you heard, you probably need to work on your listening skills.
Listening is a sign of respect. It shows that you value what the speaker has to say. If you take the time to listen to someone, take the time to listen properly. Set aside what you are doing so you can focus on the speaker, showing them that they are important to you. This will encourage the speaker to crystallize his message instead of giving you a shortened and vague version. If you continue to focus on your work, you may miss key gestures or facial expressions that may indicate the speaker’s true feelings differ from his words.
It’s not always easy to focus on what a speaker is trying to say, especially if he has distracting idiosyncrasies. […]
Stuttering: Advice for Listeners
Often, people are unsure about how to respond when talking to people who stutter. This uncertainty can cause listeners to do things like look away during moments of stuttering, interrupt the speaker or fill in words, or simply not talk to people who stutter at all. None of these reactions is particularly helpful, though. In general, people who stutter want to be treated just like anybody else. They recognize-in fact, they may be acutely aware-that their speech is different and that it takes them longer to say things. Unfortunately, though, this sometimes leads the speaker to feel pressure to speak quickly. Under such conditions, people who stutter often have even more difficultly saying what they want to say in a smooth, timely manner. Thus, listener reactions that suggest impatience or annoyance may actually make it harder for people who stutter to speak.
When […]
What is Stuttering?
Stuttering is a communication disorder that affects the rhythm or “fluency” of speech. It begins during childhood and, in some cases, persists throughout llife. The disorder is characterized by disruptions (or “dysfluencies”) in the production of speech sounds. Most speakers produce brief dysfluencies in speech from time to time. For instance, some words are repeated and others are preceded by interjections such as “um.” Dysfluencies are not necessarily problematic; however, they can impede communication when a speaker produces too many of them or they are drawn out and lengthy.
Many of us find we’re out of breath or anxious when speaking in front of an audience. Speakers who stutter exhibit excessive physical tension in the throat, mouth, and jaw and may appear to be unable to recover from the tension when talking. At times, the forward flow […]
Sound Like You Mean It On the Phone
Remember: when selling by phone, 84% of the message is conveyed by the quality of the voice and the intelligibility of the speech. Pitch, tone, inflection, and pronunciation matter!
The customer uses “Credibility Detectors”. These sensors in the brain are activated by tone of voice and body language; not words. They give us important information about the speaker’s sincerity, integrity, and emotional intelligence (EQ). Some people equate this to the “gut-level hunch” we often sense.
HOW you say your message makes all the difference. And there is an art to this. Before you head off to that next big call, think about the feeling you want to leave with your customer; the emotion you want to share. For example, consider that you might want to start with a warm, friendly message and follow up with a confident, powerful, or influential message.
Each feeling you want to […]
Say It Like You Mean It – And Be Remembered!
How is your 60 second introduction? Are you using words and phrases that will connect you with the people you are meeting with everyday?
For example if you are an IT professional, what are you saying that will help the people you are networking with and meeting with understand exactly who you are and what you do?
Does your introduction sound like this?
“Hello, my name is David, and I work for XYZ IT Solutions, and I am a developer.”
That introduction is not very memorable, is it? Why don’t you try something like this:
“Hello my name is David, and I take the headache out of managing companies websites, so they can focus what they do best!”
Or what if you are a financial planner? What is it that you say that will help the people you are meeting understand your business? How about:
“Hello, I am work with […]
Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone
By guest blogger, Scott Emmett. Scott is a client of Accent On Business.
I don’t think I’m going to like this, I said to myself. I was having one of my early sessions with Ellen Dunnigan, my newly acquired speech coach. We were just the two of us in a room and she wanted me to give a speech that was going to push me out of my comfort zone. I did not like this one bit. No sir, not one bit. Told her so and further informed her that I was not ready for this. She just sat there and stared at me. Did not have any choice but to suck it up and get on with it. It was not one of my better experiences but, at the end of the day, I got past what proved to be one of the larger […]
Sharpen Your Skills Before Your Next Interview!
If you’ve been considering a career change, or know someone interviewing, take time to consider a few additional items critical to the success of your interview, namely your style of presentation and your communication skills. Being mentally prepared for the interview is very important. Presenting yourself as an effective communicator qualification in great demand by employers.Here are a few tips for before and during the interview process:
- Exercise. A short workout the morning of your interview will get your blood and breathing going and will help you present yourself with energy and vitality.
- Breathe. Take slow, deep diaphramatic breaths before the interview. This will help you center yourself, reduce stress, and keep your voice steady and confident. Your abdomen should extend outward upon inhalation and deflate upon exhalation. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Be positive and enthusiastic. Speak with a positive […]
Tips for Creating Professional Video Blogs
Watched a few local business video blogs last week. Certainly the blogs allow for the dissemination of information and quick messaging to staff and to customers. The words we heard were all good messages. You and I both know, though, that communication follows the “93/7 Rule”. 7% of what is communicated comes from the words chosen. A full 93% comes from the image left behind from body language, nonverbals, facial expressions, and inflection (tone of voice). In our office, we’ve certainly seen the need to provide more seminars on how to create impressive videos. We had a video wall from GSEAV installed and everyone loves it. Watch for details; however, here are a few thoughts which may guide your next videos.
- “Shakey Cam” may be good for personal videos to friends and family, especially if you and they are young(ish). Not so much for business. Seriously, think […]