What's Your Personal Communications Strategy?

If you Google "public speaking" you'll come up with hundreds, if not thousands, of people willing to charge you a fee to "free you from your fear of public speaking." There are classes, workshops, programs, books, videos--just about anything you'd like to spend your money on. Which is great, because different things work for different people. I really don't think there's a magic pill, bullet, or method, though. I do think a coach can help. And I think public speaking is only one part of the way you communicate.

I don't like to call myself a "public speaking coach" because that is such a small piece of a person's overall communications style and image. Public speaking is just one way you communicate and it needs to be consistent with the way you write, the way you speak in personal situations, and the way you present yourself. Basically, you need a communications strategy for yourself. Your strategy requires three things: 1) authenticity 2) practice 3) flexibility.

Authenticity: If it isn't "you," it won't work. Having a speechwriter is helpful, but unless you make it your own, you won't feel comfortable with it and your message won't resonate with your audience. One strategy I've been using is to have the client explain to me what he wants to say, I say it back--more succinctly and powerfully, then he translates that back into his own style. It's a way of clarifying his thoughts and making sure his audience can understand him, but at the same time using his own words and speaking style.

Practice: There is a mis-belief that if you are good at something it doesn't require practice. WRONG. Practice is critical. Practicing all aspects of your communications strategy is important: listening skills, public speaking, writing. The more you practice, the more naturally your communication skills will become. In her book, "Mindset," Carl Dweck tells us there are two types of mindsets: fixed and growth. In a fixed mindset, people either "have it" or they don't. They are afraid of failing, or of risking looking stupid, and believe that if you "have it", then it should be easy and you shouldn't require work or practice to be successful. In a growth mindset, people realize that anything is possible--anyone can learn, improve, and excel--through PRACTICE.

Flexibility: Even with a coach, improving your communication skills is a trial and error process. Some things will work well, some won't work at all, and you may even have a few errors. Give yourself permission to try new things, risk looking stupid, and understand that it's possible to recover from pretty much anything. In the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta, during Bill Clinton's first national appearance, he was so boring the crowd actually cheered when he said "in conclusion..." The future president when on to become one of the best public speakers of the century. Mistakes happen, learn from them, adjust, and move on.

By staying authentic, practicing, and being flexible, you can improve your skills and get your message across.