How to be a stylish communicator
I always love when I listen to a really fancy speaker. Barack Obama is stylish. Sean Connery is stylish. My first grade teacher, Miss Banta, was classy. I was mesmerized in her class when she always said “extra” things to us in her lessons. His enthusiasm was infectious. I can still remember the things he said and the way he used to float like a butterfly.
Elegance means not only a pleasant voice, but also interesting, captivating and memorable content in what you say. People who sprinkle their speech with interesting stories, anecdotes, and fresh bits of information always make us cheer up and pay attention. These people are smart communicators. The good news is that this is not a talent. It is skill and can be learned. This skill can be applied to public speaking or communicating every day.
Elegance in communication is like Dressing for Success, only it goes beyond clothing. Elegant communication involves every part of your being: your actions, your speech, your non-verbal communication, your choice of words, and your character. Elegant communication involves your gestures, your way of speaking, and basically your manners, with yourself and with others, at all times, especially in a crisis. Elegance means being graceful under pressure.
Both men and women can be elegant communicators. John F. Kennedy was an elegant communicator, as was Abraham Lincoln, especially in his debates with Douglass, when, as an unknown, he won the hearts of the nation. Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu-Kyi from Burma was one of the most elegant communicators of all time. In a violent pro-democracy protest, he was able to silence a crowd using only his eyes and his immense dignity. And the elegance and grace of Nelson Mandela under extreme pressure and hardship helped change the world in the 20th century.
Many of the most elegant communicators of all time were not born with their skills, but they worked very hard to acquire them. Grace Kelly was so embarrassed by her harsh Philadelphia accent that she asked her father at 18 for a tape recorder and worked hours listening to his voice and correcting inflections with great discipline. Later, as a successful actress and princess in Monaco, this discipline and determination made a monumental difference in her communication with the people of Monaco, Europe, and the world and helped her serve as an elegant ambassador for American culture and people.
The ancient Greek orator Demosthenes was the classic example of someone who worked very hard to become an elegant communicator. He was born with a severe speech impediment and people mocked his stuttering at his first public assembly. To learn to speak clearly, he spoke with pebbles in his mouth and recited verses as he ran uphill. (Not only did it force him to improve his speaking skills, but it also put him in great physical shape (another aspect of being graceful). To strengthen his voice, he spoke on the seashore about the roar of the waves. His discipline and Determination helped him become one of the greatest orators of Ancient Greece.
You can learn the skills you need to become a smart communicator. I call them The 12 Steps to Being a Smart Communicator: Guidelines You Can Follow That Can Change Your Life.
The 12 Ingredients of Elegant Communication (TM)
1. Honesty: Practice rigorous honesty in everything you do, all your transactions, all relationships.
two. Confidence: Develop confidence and exude it, without arrogance, help others to be confident.
3. Flexibility: Quickly adjust and adapt to unexpected changes. Life is “Plan B”: be adaptable to changes.
Four. Passion: Exude passion in everything you do. Feel passion. Do the things you are passionate about, do them often!
5. Practice: Practice hard for long periods of time until you feel tired and practice frequently.
6. To congratulate: Encourage yourself and others tremendously. Give praise showers.
7. Play: Yes, play. If you want to be elegant, learn to play. Play creates balance in our lives and allows us to be more creative and productive when we work.
8. Position: When you have good posture, your performance improves. Do not let into laziness. Take a good-natured stance and stand INADEQUATE there, regardless of the circumstances.
9. Physical aptitude: Strive to be in shape, gives you confidence, and keeps you at your best.
10. To be interesting: Learn, have a varied life, read, attend workshops, study, have hobbies, have adventures!
eleven. Be interested: Take and show interest in others, ask questions frequently. Always ask questions!
12. Discipline: Be very disciplined, find ways to bring discipline into your life. Concentrate and use discipline to keep your focus. Have goals, every day, every month, every year!
