By Jennifer Miller, Rockford Gray Managing Partner
Effective leaders are also often effective speakers. Good communication skills are learned and perfected over time. No one is a “natural” communicator. They work on it.
Although there are several areas that commonly challenge spokespeople, small strategic improvements can make a big impact. Work on one or two areas at a time. Move ahead when you’re ready.
#1 Get to the point (message).
We have likely all been on the receiving end of a phone call when we urged the caller to get to the point. In communication terms, we would call the purpose of the phone call, the message. Good communication starts with a message. Whether you are talking to the news media, being ambushed by a reporter, giving a sales pitch, or presenting to the board you need to have a message.
#2 Make it a message that matters (to your audience).
Your audience wants to know what is in it for them. They really are not all that interested in your great year, unless – of course – it means the value of their stock is going up, they’re getting a raise or their life is going to get better in some way. Your message needs to be relevant to the audience. Spell it out. What is the benefit to the audience?
#3 Pause (Period).
Our society has programmed us to recoil at any lull in the conversation or what may appear as “dead air”. But a well-placed pause is often perceived as thoughtful and refreshing. A slight pause at the end a sentence lets the listener know you have completed the thought and are moving on to something else. Pausing also helps to reboot the speaker’s delivery, so you don’t sound stiff, monotone and out-of-breath. Pauses build suspense and add emphasis.
#4 Eliminate Unwanted Words.
These are words speakers tend to overuse. Filler words such as “like”, “actually”, “so”, “uhm”, “ok” have no nutritional value; they are merely mental pauses. The trick to eliminating the impulse to fill that pause with a filler word is to first become aware of which filler word(s) you are using and then allow yourself to pause silently while you deliberately avoid using the filler word. It’s about self-awareness and discipline.
#5 It’s a performance.
Any form of public communication – whether it is an interview with a reporter, a sales meeting, a board meeting or some other important presentation – is a performance. Keep that in mind and you will feel liberated to use your voice and body language in a way that helps you to best convey your message. Your inflection and volume, the way you look and your facial expressions all play an important role in public speaking.
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About the author: Jennifer Miller is a seasoned media trainer and public speaking coach with over 15 years of journalism experience, including seven at CBS News. Known for her disarming style and tough questions, she reported on major events like the Olympics, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina. Her firsthand understanding of how reporters think makes her an exceptional crisis management counselor. At Rockford Gray, she coaches clients on media, presentation, and crisis response. Jennifer holds a master’s in Organizational Leadership from the University of Denver and a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota. She is certified in crisis communication and DEI in the Workplace and is a sought-after speaker.