When I first began presenting to audiences, I noticed that physically, I felt terrible (my stomach hurt, I perspired profusely) and because I was extremely focused on what people would think, my nerves turned my voice into a high-pitched, shrill voice. I wasn’t loud enough and I wasn’t credible.
Check out these two ideas that got me over my fear of public speaking. Once I started doing these two strategies, public speaking no longer was a fear of mine but rather something I looked forward to! These can help you, too!
Have you been as riveted as I have been to the television as the winter Olympics unfold? There is nothing like an evening spent watching these great athletes with the fireplace roaring and a warm cup of tea in my hands. I love to watch the couples dance on ice and the aerial events; my husband prefers hockey or downhill skiing. The athletes’ stories of courage, hard work, determination, and overcoming obstacles is a clear indication of how their success didn’t occur in a straight path upward.
But why should all the much earned glory, and more importantly, those coveted gold medals go to those we see on TV? Don’t you deserve your own gold medal this winter? I sure think so. And that’s why I’m sending you a gold meda–to remind you that this is a great time to go for the gold! O.K. a photo isn’t as fancy as one of the 259 medal sets that will be awarded this month but I wanted to do something to get your attention.
Here are a three areas of communication that are the gold standard to strive towards to develop your leadership skills:
I talk about Speech, Language and Voice topics all year long. Let’s talk about something new: your hearing. After all, there are social, psychological and physical consequences of having a hearing loss at work and at home, including isolation, withdrawal, problems with concentration, embarrassment, shame, guilt, anger, depression and anxiety. I’d like to offer you some tips to preserve your hearing and tips for communicating!
Recently, I came to a cross roads in my career. I felt unsure and alone with a big decision I was trying to make. After pondering over my situation for several weeks, I decided to hire a career coach to help me figure out what to do next. I’ll be the first to admit that I was relieved that someone else was going to chime in with some objective advice about my situation. It was freeing to hear options that I hadn’t even considered because I was limiting myself to believe that I only had two options. Through the hard work of examining my goals and what’s important to me and why, I was able to come up with a solution that feels good. I am motivated now to make my new reality work just because my coach helped me examine my priorities.
At Christmas each year, our family spends a lot of time around the dining room table playing board games and cards. One of my children in particular has a hobby of collecting games, learning them and teaching them to us. I’ll call him my Game Player Extraordinaire. His name is Sam and to give you an example, he has 50+ games. I thought he might be a good person to ask for some game recommendations that promote language skills for my game review this year. These make wonderful gifts and promote communication skills as well. Here’s what he suggested:
When I first started road biking in 2016, I loved the feeling of freedom when the air passed my wet skin and became a natural air conditioner. I also loved to ride downhills at a very fast speed. It was an incredible thrill to let go and fly down those hills. It was truly exhilarating!
One of most exhilarating rides was when I reached 51 MPH going down a steep hill.
We were rolling through the woods on our bikes when a large obstacle on the trail appeared around the bend. I had been experimenting with and practicing a new skill that I had learned (bunny hopping over logs) so when I came around that bend, I told my friends that I was going to jump it. A bunny hop is launching your bike into the air as if jumping off a ramp. The pedals on the bicycle “stick” to your feet as the bike becomes airborne. You can bunny hop over some pretty large obstacles by doing this correctly.
Have you ever been told “I can’t understand you?” The first time it happens, it is understandable. But what if it happens to you over and over again? Is it you or is it your listener? There are five reasons why someone can’t understand you.
Here is a checklist you can use to self-assess the problem if you are frequently experiencing this problem. Usually, at least one item is the culprit but a combination is also plausible:
Does you speech need a tune-up? The way in which you speak says a lot about you. There are many aspects of speech, language, and voice that personalize your speech. In this blog, we are going to talk about pronunciation and diction. Pronunciation can indicate where you grew up and diction can quickly identify your level of education, personal tastes, and social background. Pronouncing words correctly can make you sound like a polished professional.
Do you express enthusiasm for aspects of your work that you notice others don’t seem to share? If so, you might encounter sales pitches or meetings where you feel like colleagues or managers interrupt you or miss your point. Maybe you feel it’s hard to inspire others or persuade them of your plans to move your company forward. You aren’t alone if this happens to you at the office!
When I first began presenting to audiences, I noticed that physically, I felt terrible (my stomach hurt, I perspired profusely) and because I was extremely focused on what people would think, my nerves turned my voice into a high-pitched, shrill voice. I wasn’t loud enough and I wasn’t credible.
Do you express enthusiasm for aspects of your work that you notice others don’t seem to share? If so, you might encounter sales pitches or meetings where you feel like colleagues or managers interrupt you or miss your point. Maybe you feel it’s hard to inspire others or persuade them of your plans to move your company forward. You aren’t alone if this happens to you at the office!