Coaching

If you want to influence others, make sure you influence yourself. Make sure you stand behind what you are saying. That, in a nutshell, is the secret behind successful communications. The magic ingredient is concentration, directing your own attention to what matters. In terms of communications, this means that what you are saying is important, just as the audience is. That’s because communication is something of an echo. As you apply concentration and dedication in facing your audience, your audience will return the favour, concentrating on what you say and appreciating it.

So what can you do to increase your concentration level? Some things are obvious, among them preparation, and that includes the physical side. Get enough sleep and make sure you put stress elements to one side, at least for the moment. Mental preparation also matters, of course. Practice what you want to say and structure it well. But above all, be passionate. Passion will energize you, and the energy you generate will flow over to your audience. The good thing is that there will be a flow of energy back to you, so the process is self-reinforcing. To get this flow going, look your audience in the eye, but be humble, not defying. If you find the your audience’s eyes intimidating, aim for the heart. Find what works for you, then focus on that. You’ll be surprise by how moving you can be.