Saying less is so much better than saying more. ALWAYS. There are three absolutely vital skills every great communicator must master:
- Pause.
- Repeat yourself.
- Choose your words before you speak.
It’s human nature when someone asks a question to start talking BEFORE you consider your answer and how you’ll frame it. We think we must immediately respond to our boss, or the reporter, or the analyst, so we babble four sentences of word salad before our brains finally form a coherent answer. This is NOT a winning strategy.
Here’s a better choice: “That’s exactly the right question, Gretchen” . . . pause. . . formulate answer . . . speak “The data shows . . .”
Whether she is your boss, a reporter, or a cranky industry analyst, Gretchen will feel pleased with herself that she asked an incisive question that made you think. You will have delivered something coherent and digestible, not a long answer Gretchen has to sift through to find value. Win win!!
Take the risk out of being in the spotlight! I can prepare you, your teams and your leaders to tell your company’s story with confidence, shape the industry and maybe even change the world.
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