Universally, everybody agrees being short and sweet works well; but he/she often lands up being long and lingering! There are 2 schools of thoughts – one believes in being comprehensive and second puts its faith on being concise. Former invariably tends to become complex and then, people generally repel or react. Latter, when overtly conscious for being concise, tends to be too short to create meaningful understanding. So, both schools either tend to push away or fail to pull its audience.
Being short and sweet has lot to do with your state of mind, as also your notions, perceptions or traits! Here are some thoughts, which you can look at:
How not to be long
When you don’t present or communicate too long, it’s not that you would do it too short! You would fall in between – that’s what is actually needed.
- Be focused.
- Be simple by your thoughts and actions.
- Give introduction of topic you want to discuss or present in very concise form.
- Do not waste time to narrate problems. If you have to, do it in 2 or 3 sentences.
Come directly to point and lay emphasis on solutions. - Be conscious; but not concerned for being short!
- Cut down on your zest to give opinions.
- Give examples or quotes, only if these are directly relevant and would promote better understanding.
- Avoid communicating when you are over-confident or under-confident, else you would end up talking lot of rubbish or little of rationale respectively.
When subdued, you speak too short! If you are too curt, people feel uncomfortable or offended!! - It is sensible to be shut, if your mind is overwhelmed by reaction or conflicting thoughts.
- Do not fall prey to excuses or explanations.
People would normally treat these as a cover-up! - Remember, your audience is not at your mercy; it is other way round!
If you are addressing a gathering, capacity of people to listen to you is no more than 35 to 45 minutes, after which all what you deliver would go overhead.
If you are talking one to one, generally you should take a pause after 2 to 3 sentences. Speak more, only if other person does not respond. - Avoid speaking under influence of your position, power or popularity. You would tend to speak too loud and long, which is bunk.
How to be sweet
It is easy to be sour, not sweet! But, to be sweet is significant!! Please remember the greatest equation of nature is “You get = What you give”.
So please imbibe these:
- Be sincere.
- Whatever you do, do it by heart. Don’t do it otherwise; you would be better off!
- Your ego needs to ebb!
- Listen more; speak shorter! People love that!!
- Don’t have dual yardsticks – one for self and second for others. If you can’t help having it, write-off being sweet.
- Understand your responsibility to your audience. Making it understand your views is more important than your own understanding.
- Inspire people and don’t inflict intellectual assaults on them through hypocritical and hysterical statements!
- Your body language reflects what you are! So, if you are relaxed and energized, your audience would be electrified!!
So, if you want to be a great influencer, be Focused, Sincere and Simple!
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