This post was written by Dan Cooney, Director of Coaching and Senior Facilitator at The Latimer Group.
“Look, talent comes everywhere, but having something to say and a way to say it so that people listen to it, that’s a whole other bag.
And unless you get out and you try to do it, you’ll never know. That’s just the truth.” ~Jackson Maine in “A Star is Born”
Most people have something to say but not everyone has found a way to say it in a way that people want to hear. In a previous post, we said that 75% of people experience some anxiety speaking in public. Add that to the difficulty people have figuring how to find their voice, how to articulate their ideas and feelings and the communication deficit widens.
Why does the communication deficit matter? The overwhelming majority of people are good-hearted and try to live by the Golden Rule. Hatred of the “other” and prejudice are antithetical to the way we think and act. Sadly, the tyranny of a few dark voices punctuates our time. Now is the time for you to find your voice. Important to you, yes, as an individual. It is also important for the rest of us.
The first step to clear communication is thinking as precisely as you can about the outcome you want from your message – the clearer it is in your head, the more likely it will resonate with your audience. Ask yourself, what do I want people to think or feel or do after they have heard my message?
Next, think about your audience and consider what their goals are and how your message might amplify their voice and further their objectives. Persuasion is more about pull than push – the idea is to make your message so powerfully attractive that people can’t help but listen to you.
A real star takes ten million years to form. We could use yours now.
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