5 Tips on Effective Communication That I Learned From My Mountain Biking Friends
Many of you know how much I love to mountain bike. I started it a few years ago and have been hooked ever since. My biking friends taught me how to navigate rough terrain, climb steep hills, jump logs, and make difficult turns on switchbacks. It is challenging and fun and of course, being outdoors is a big plus!
I received a lot of great advice when I started that applies to the way in which we communicate. Let me share that advice with you. First, the piece of advice and what it means in the mountain biking world and then, how this guideline applies to the way in which you communicate.
- “Always keep your eyes on the trail 10 feet ahead of you.” Never look down—look where you want to go. This is especially important going over bridges or a small thin line. I learned this hard way. The times I ignored this advice and looked down, I landed on the ground or in a creek.
Isn’t this true in communication, too? When you are focused on your message and visualize where you want to go (the ultimate goal you want to achieve), you will stay on point and avoid the distractions and interruptions that come your way. A message that is concise and succinct with an objective is a skill that executive leaders learn to do well.
- “Beware of the pedal grabbers.” These are the things that stick out into the path that grab your pedal (or handle bars for that matter) when you fly by. Hitting a log or a rock that is too close to the trail is one example. But if you are doing #1 and keeping your eyes 10 feet ahead of you, you can plan for that branch or log that may want to pull you off your bike.
The pedal grabbers that pull you away from speaking your message is quite possibly your own mindset. The negative tapes that run over and over in your mind are the ones that can pull you down and prevent you from being effective. I’ve had some clients who fear speaking up because they aren’t sure of themselves, don’t want to deal with resistance to their idea or just feel intimidated with the audience. Your communication skills are your biggest asset for sharing your ideas, your opinions, and inspiring your team. Learning to deal with those demons in your head is going to be the most important task you can do to be an effective communicator.
- “When going through mud, let your bike doing the steering.” I’m talking about deep, thick mud. It’s a little intimidating to see it. What goes through my mind is if I fall, it’s going to be messy and it’s going to be embarrassing covered in mud in front of my friends. But, when I let the wheel guide me through, I am usually just fine.
This piece of advice reminds me to let go of being in control, let things happen and be comfortable with that. In conversations, listening to others (not controlling the conversation) is a skill worth learning. Without really listening to your audience, you may make assumptions and ultimately, when these assumptions prove to be wrong, it’s embarrassing. Be guided by what you are learning about when others speak and then contribute your opinion and input last. There is an element of control that you must give up to do this.
- When I fell on my bike, and I have fallen many, many times, my biking friends would tell me, “Well, I bet you’ll never do that again.” And it was true. What better way to learn how to do something better than to make a mistake (usually a rather physically painful mistake) and learn from it.
Don’t be afraid about making mistakes when you present, propose, convince, inspire/motivate, etc. Your message may not be perfect and the way you deliver may have something to be desired but get out there and try. You will learn from the mistakes you make and do better next time. It’s a process that takes time, one skill at a time. When you do make a mistake, pick yourself up and boldly try again very soon.
- “Just have fun, Lynda.” Duh, I’m having so much fun! But perhaps they see in me my competitive spirit, and that I am taking my personal records just a little too seriously. Did you know that a bike Garmin synced with a phone app keeps track of records on trail segments and allows you see how fast you are compared to others based on gender, age and weight? It’s so fun to compare! But it has its downside, too. When I hear someone say, “Just have fun, Lynda,” I realize that I am being too intense, too focused on winning and not enough enjoying the moment with my friends.
What about you? Do you ever take work too seriously and perhaps come across with too much intensity and focus, blind to who and what is going on around you? What if you added some humor to the day? Make your audiences laugh. Self-deprecating humor is the best. Or, if humor isn’t your forte, take notice of the people around you for non-work related attributes, interests and commonalities. A compliment or a discussion about hobbies (for example) goes a long way to show someone you care about something other than just work. Make the environment more fun and you will build great relationships with your colleagues.
Would you like to learn more about communicating your values so that you sound like the executive leader that you are? Sign up for this on-demand Voice Makeover Webinar and learn about the speech, language and voice characteristics that contribute to the perceptions people have of you and what you can do about it if you don’t like what you are hearing.