How Effective is Your Communication?

by Kim Taylor

Do you regularly spend weeks writing the content for your next big presentation and then wait until the night before to rehearse?

Do you know the difference between a transition and a ‘hot start’?

How about the importance of holding your gestures and keeping them ‘above the belt’ and outside the ‘breadbox’?

These are just a few of the things I learned while attending “Presenting with Impact & Influence” last week at the Academy of our affiliate, MS&L.

The stats were astonishing. When it comes to the 3 V’s of Effective Communications: Vocal, Visual and Verbal, we typically focus on the Verbal … the content of our presentation … yet, the Vocal and Visual are really what counts.

Try this exercise:

Say the heady words we all wait to hear: I Love You … and say it like you really mean it.

Now, say them again, but this time, say the word ‘love’ with doubt and questioning … I Love You?

The same result happens when you shift that doubt to the word ‘you.’

Same content, completely different meaning.

That exercise alone should help validate the importance of Visual and Vocal skills when presenting. Content still counts, but never underestimate the value of thoughtful gesturing, eye contact and replacing your ‘ums’ and ‘uhhs’ with silence.