Coaching

What you say is only the tip of the iceberg. Whatever you say, there will always be something resonating, something that is mightier than words, and that is your relationship to your audience. And like all relationships, this one, too, is about emotions. It’s emotions that let us engage our audience – or conversely, that can turn our audience off.
If all we focus on is the facts we report, then all we’re focusing on is the tip of the iceberg, and that means we might be heading for a shipwreck. So think first about your audience’s state of mind. What are they expecting of you? What are they wishing for? What are they fearing?

Then ask yourself: What do I want these people to do? What should I be prepared for? How can I help them? You’ll probably notice right away that this changes something. Something flows back from the audience to you, and even better, your message gets through to the audience with an all-new intensity. This is especially important when what you are about to deliver is bad news, and remember: for some people, it’s bad news if something changes. That’s how people are, they distrust change at first. But if they eventually come to believe that they are up to it, they may actually welcome it. So there’s your job as an executive, as a communicator. Be present emotionally and don’t just announce news on paper. Make sure that your audience senses you are a feeling human being. You’ll be surprised what a change that makes.