Are You A Confident Communicator?

Can you talk at length and find yourself taking the long road of getting to your point?

Or, perhaps you have the opposite challenge...

Do you struggle on saying much of anything at all leaving others to wonder what you're really thinking and feeling?

If you can't communicate confidently and effectively you are sabotaging your success. You see, I can talk (and talk and talk and talk and talk... you get the picture?).

Yet as more time goes by I realize that while this can be a benefit sometimes, more often than not it is a liability. Every time I find myself over-explaining I hear the voice of a career counselor (and now friend) I once had told me point blank "You're one of those damn expressives and it drives me nuts!" I tend to think out loud, talk a lot, and include every last detail when I express myself. Now, there's nothing wrong with talking or chit-chatting of course. This doesn't mean you can't ever relax and talk at length with someone. But, when it comes to business and the business of creating what you want in your life, clarity and brevity are your friends.

You see when you can't succinctly sum up what you want to say you find yourself:

* Unsure and unclear.

* Including everything but the kitchen sink in your communications.

* Backing yourself into a corner by over-explaining.

* Wallowing in a story rather than getting to the meat of the matter.

What happens is you feel a lot less confident and comfortable in your own skin than you could be. What also happens is that other people who might be able to support or connect with you can't do so because you've made it too difficult or confusing for them to do so!

If you don't think that speaking powerfully with an economy of words is important, consider the fact that this skill is critical every time you need to:

* Set or enforce boundaries.

* Cultivate business relationships (with clients, co-workers, supervisors, etc.).

* Ask for what you really want or need.

* Present yourself to someone else (interviews, presentations, business meetings, networking, etc.).

I don't know about you, but that is pretty darn often and some pretty important scenarios, don't you think?

My coach's request is. For the next 30 days become more aware of your language. Whenever you are speaking, ask yourself:

* Is my language clear and concise?

* Am I direct or hinting at what I mean?

* Do I employ an economy of words or am I bordering on babbling?

* Am I over-explaining or apologizing for myself?

Now, do this without judgment... the point of this exercise isn't to beat yourself up but simply to start noticing. Believe me I have (and sometimes still do) rattle on far too much for my own benefit. Yet ever since I adopted the mantra that "I am a person who speaks with an economy of words that carry great power" my clarity, confidence, and results have blossomed.


Copyright (c) 2010 Paula Gregorowicz