Communication - The Great Differentiator

It has been said that studies show that more people are afraid of public speaking than they are of death.  This seems strange to me because I guarantee if you gave anyone a choice of speaking in front of a 100 people for five minutes or taking a bullet to the head, I'm sure what any sane person would pick. At any rate, this study does bring to the forefront the fear that so many individuals have of speaking in front of a crowd.  I'm sure many of us have experienced that intense pressure the comes in our chest as we anticipate having to give a speech or respond to a question in front of a large group.  It is for this reason that many individuals never speak up in class even though they have the right answer or share their opinions at work in meetings even though they came up with the answer internally well before the group pieced it together.  The importance of good communication skills is paramount on so many levels that one will give himself or herself a great competitive advantage by working to improve this as much as possible.  So where do you start?  There are only a few small steps that will help you be well on your way to becoming an eloquent communicator to take your life and career to the next level.

READ
This seems counterintiutive since we are discussing how to become a better communicator.  Many would ask what does reading have to do with being able to speak well.  And this is the reason that many people cannot do it.  Reading is one of the best ways to get a sense of the numerous ways in which something can be communicated.  Having a well-rounded vocabulary is one of the characterstics of good communicators, as they will have the correct turn of phrase that wiil exactly convey the message or point they were trying to share.  By reading consistently, you will be able to more quickly process the different ways to create a message and will, therefore, be better on your feet at responding to things in a more succinct and clear manner.  By reading how others share their ideas in a well-structured format, you will have a better sense of how to do so as well when asked a question that requires you to state your views in a manner that is easily digestable by others...which is what many of us look for in a well-written book.

FIGHT FEAR
This is probably the biggest thing that holds back so many people.  What you will find is that someone will sit in a company meeting for 20 minutes debating to say something and then kick themselves when it is said by a senior colleage who gets credit for a GREAT idea.  The only way to get good at doing something is to do it.  It sounds simple but it is rarely followed. Even though the first couple of times might be somewhat painful, the only way to get better at speaking on your feet and being a competent, clear communicator is to fight the natural fear that we all may have at doing this and speak up at EVERY REASONABLE chance you get.  This doesn't mean "over"-communicate every idea that flies through your head, but it does mean to not allow a good idea to go unsaid. If you have a good thought and have given it a quick brain filter test for relevence, pragmatism, and overall potential effectiveness, share it with the group.  The first few times your words may not come out as eloquent as you may like, but you will only get better by seizing these opportunites to speak up to share your views.  The only way to conquer fear is to face it.  Don't ever let it hold you back.

PRACTICE
In contrast to the opinion of Allen Iverson, practice is actually the most important thing you can do to be successful in many things in life, and your ability to communicate is no different.  The only way to be able to have the correct tone, volume, timing, etc. when speaking in front of others is to practice this consistently when no one or few people are around.  Many times, we may hear someone give a great speech and think how "naturally" good they are in front of others.  What we don't see are the numerous hours that this indivdual has spent practing and practicing that speech to make sure that it's flawless when they deliver it.  By joining organization such as Toastmasters, one has the ability to consistently work on his/her craft to be more comfortable in almost any situation in life that requires impromptu or prepared communication ability.

In today's society, good communication skills are not only for someone who desires to be a public speaker, but also for anyone who desires to gain a competitive advantage in life.  If you have a job in which you have to speak to anybody for any reason, having the ability to effectively communicate will separate you from the masses who fear it dramatically.  I'm not 100 percent sure, but I'm guessing it's a little easier than dying.

Ken Middleton is an Account Executive at TEKsystems that specializes in IT staffing and services. He is a graduate of UNC-Pembroke and current MBA student at Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech.

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