The following guidelines will help you get your message across clearly and convincingly.
- Command the language. Be supremely articulate, even eloquent, in all written and spoken communication.
- Be yourself. Authenticity is a vital element of credibility. If you try to sound like someone else, your message will be diluted or lost entirely.
- Invite dialogue. Communication involves more than simply relating facts or your particular point of view. Let your listeners respond, question, and contribute to the conversation.
- Speak with confidence. Your honest display of conviction and passion will earn the respect of your audience.
- Walk your talk. Don't just say it. Do it. Live it.
- Say it again. And again. Even the most powerful and important message must be repeated to get into the hearts and minds of your listeners.
- Take a stand. Inconsistent or wishy-washy communication will be quickly discounted. Better to take an extreme or unpopular stance than to waver from one position to the next.
- Say it in different ways. Speak to individuals, small groups, large audiences. Write powerful memos. Send timely emails. Issue press releases. Use the Internet. Today there are myriad venues for delivering your message. Use them.
About the Author
Liz Bywater, PhD, is a consultant and coach to corporate executives, professionals, and independent business owners. She consults, writes, and speaks on a variety of work-related topics, including workplace performance, outstanding leadership, effective communication skills, and work-life balance.
Dr. Bywater sits on the advisory board for Par Excellence magazine and is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society for the Advancement of Consulting, the Cornell Entrepreneur Network, and Women Inventing Next. She is quoted frequently in the media and has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and USA Today.
To learn more, visit her at www.BywaterConsultingGroup.com. To subscribe to her complementary e-newsletter, filled with practical tips for improving performance, send an email to info@BywaterConsultingGroup.com.
