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The
Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of
the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that
kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah,
it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to
question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa
Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).
There is so much to know about conversation that anyone,
even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching
talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public
speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still
apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may
sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth
that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to
churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way
to start learning to be an effective communication is to
know the very person closest to you: yourself.
1. What you know
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an
effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My
stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to
taught me that we all have our limitations, but that
doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we
know.
2. Listening
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes
listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to
be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the
things we believe in with conviction.
3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our
words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words
even though we know what it means, but rarely use it
only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be
afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly
and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of
it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can
get away with it as well.
4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your
attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze.
It's important that you keep your focus when talking to
a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though
he or she may be gorgeous.
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5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the
tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That
way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the
crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable,
and as human to those who listen.
6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people.
You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what
people make them as they are.
7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the
shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own
voice while you practice your speech in front of a
mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch.
And while you're at it you can spruce up as well. |
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8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no
point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a
gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express
what you're saying when you smile.
9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life
you have listened to when they're at a public gathering
or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but
taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say
can help you once you take center stage.
10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just
scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some
people like to write things down on index cards, while
other resort to being a little more silly as they look
at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not
for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what
you know since you enjoy your work.
And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather
amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower
myself when it comes to public or private speaking and
it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make
conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as
educational. |
