How to talk so that people listen?
Poor listening acts as a big block to effective presentation. Good speakers are not daunted by this. They rather challenge this block in a unique
and creative way. Best speeches in this
world are always in spite of barriers rather than not without them. Some of the
ways in which we can overcome the hurdle and make people listen are as follows:
Provoke them: Begin your
speech with a kind of jolt or shock to the audience. It should not be dull and
drab affair. Make the audience members sit alert with your kind of presence and
impact. Sometimes you can throw down a challenge to them and say how you would
help them achieve it.
Compliment them: It is the
key to receive their attention. No one in this world is deaf to
compliments! The compliment must be
honest and specific. The more specific
you make it, the more effective it will be. 'I am delighted to be here. I am
indeed proud to have to address an audience of this kind…….' These
sentences uttered with utmost honesty rarely fail to evoke the desired level of
attention.
Show your knowledge of
them:
the audience is always complimented if you know something about them. It shows that you made an effort to learn
about them. The perfect place to display
this knowledge is in the introduction.
Develop a common bond with
them:
If you can show how you have something in common with the audience you have
already built some rapport with them. 'I appreciate the invitation to be here…I have always had a warm spot in my
heart for your organization.' (tell how it is so). A statement of this
kind helps in developing the bond with the audience.
Pacing:
Pacing means understanding the audience and going with
them according to their levels. It is leveling the levels with them. If the listeners feel that they are not
outpaced they begin to cooperate with the speaker for even higher levels. Once you have understood them and did
something in that direction, the audience begins to understand even better.
Rapport:
Never ever antagonize with the audience
members. Show respect for their positions and knowledge about the subject you
are dealing with. Encourage even the small contribution from their side. Use words like 'good' 'that is a good
observation' 'this is well taken' 'I
am happy you asked that …'
Empathize with them: Empathising
is placing others in your own position and seeing things from that angle. There is no point in telling others what you
yourself don’t believe and practice.
Audience will find soon enough the gaps in what you say and do.
Dr. N Jayarama Shetty, Ph.D, M.Com, MBA, MA( Psy), LL B, CAIIB, D.
TD, PG. DHRM, PG. DMM, Pragya, Visiting
Professor, Nitte School of Management, Bengaluru
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