It’s Hard Work to Listen!
Of course, sometimes that’s because the person who’s talking doesn’t have much to say.
But even when you’re very interested in what another person is saying, it’s still hard work. To truly listen to someone else, you have to:
- Quiet the noise in your own mind;
- Follow the stream of their words and ideas;
- Shut out any random distractions; and
- Hang on to as much of what you’re hearing as you can.
Arguably, the listener is working just as hard as the person who’s speaking — and sometimes, harder!
Show Respect for Your Listeners by Being Easy to Hear
When someone else is listening to you, here are some things you can do to make it easier for them to concentrate, to follow, and ultimately, to retain your ideas:
With practice, these things are easy to do. But they may feel awkward when you first try them — particularly if you’re used to rushing, mumbling, or talking wall-to-wall.
Don’t worry, though. Even a minute a day of playing with these public speaking best practices will add up to a more audible speaking style.
And a more audible speaking style will make it easier for people to listen, understand, and remember the important things you’re saying — to everyone’s benefit!
Buy 100 Top Public Speaking Tips: The Book!
In 25 years of speaker coaching, I’ve helped my individual speaker coaching clients develop their strengths and skills to become authentic and effective communicators.
Along the way, I’ve developed tips for everything from small talk to speaking up in meetings, from managing fear to making an impact.
And now, I’ve shared it all in 100 Top Public Speaking Tips: The Book. This beautifully designed PDF booklet is searchable, clickable, and categorized, so that you can find what you need, instantly.