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"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10
Ways To Empower Your Communication
The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle
in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift
of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question
tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).
There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever
realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated
to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when
it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even
though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard
to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning
to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you:
yourself.
1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker
is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters'
meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't
mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.
2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound
of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves
and to say the things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and
probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but
rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to
ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about
it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and
you can get away with it as well.
4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience
with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking
to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be
gorgeous.
5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom
when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority
of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human
to those who listen.
6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas,
as well as knowing what people make them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do!
Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in
front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while
you're at it you can spruce up as well.
8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or
frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better
express what you're saying when you smile.
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to
when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their
lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help
you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often
in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards,
while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes
written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be
comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.
And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise,
but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking
and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations
and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational
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