Look around wherever you are. See how businesses get attention.
You’ll find examples of stellar speaking tips that you can use.
My husband, Jim, and I just returned from London. Enjoy these pics of street scenes, bill boards and museum posters. Each pic affirms our Speak For Yourself@ communication principles.
Speak For Yourself® Principle: Magic Power of 3 – use 3 words to convey your message ➡ MAKE – EXPLORE – IMAGINE @ Tate Modern Museum
Another example of The Magic Power of 3 from the Tate Modern: LIGHT. COLOUR. ACTION.
Find great quotes! From our visit to the Churchill War Rooms.
Another Speak For Yourself® Principle: Find the humor! Pic taken at the Notting Hill Portobello Road Market. Note: I’m writing this blog while sipping my espresso ☕️
Speak For Yourself® Principle: Be yourself. Perfect quote while walking around Covent Garden.
Another fun mural supporting my theory that we are all creative.
Your fun challenge on how to communicate with power
➡ Observe with purpose.
➡ Take pics. You can use them on visuals and they won’t look like everyone else’s boring stock photos.
➡ If it works for the Tate Modern Museum, street murals, and bill boards, it can work for you.
All photos taken by Karen or Jim in London. We are not professional photographers as you can see! That’s what makes them work on business blogs and business presentations. Be unique and use YOUR photos to make your messages stick.
Have you ever been told to “think before you speak”?
My mom, of blessed memory, shared that directive with me a thousand times!
Maybe because I’ve always talked a lot. (Another story for another time…)
So, when I came across this acronym THINK, it struck a chord.
Is what you are about to say at work, with family, or with friends…
T – Thoughtful,
H – Honest,
I – Intelligent,
N – Necessary, and
K – Kind?
Reflecting on the THINK strategy in your own communication, consider how applying one or more of these principles can make a difference in your interactions.
Picture this scenario. As CEO of a construction company, my client was gearing up for a major new building project.
She knew she needed team buy-in and she focused on one vital skill: listening. As in, listening to her people. She uncovered some roadblocks and was able to do a smooth launch.
My client used these skills and it made all the difference.
The 4 listening skills
1️⃣ Listen Until the End We’ve all been there—someone starts sharing an idea, and you’re already formulating your response. Pause! Great leaders resist the urge to interrupt. Instead, give your full attention until they finish.
2️⃣ Listen to Summarize, Not to Solve Our instinct is to jump in with solutions. Pause again! First, make sure you understand the problem by summarizing what you’ve heard. This not only clarifies things but also shows that you value their perspective.
3️⃣ Listen for Relationships and Content Listen for the sub-text… what’s between the lines. Pay attention to the emotions and connections in the conversation. Understanding the “why” behind the “what” can lead to greater trust.
4️⃣ Listen for Values What matters most to your team? Use the conversation to understand what’s going on with the other person, whether that topic is small, emotional, or complex.
Practical impact
Leaders who listen well are better able to build trust and create environments where people feel comfortable speaking up.
The good news
Good communicators are often recognized for speaking well, but effective listening is just as critical (or even more crucial) in order to be a respected leader.
You can practice good listening skills deliberately. It’s not a trait you have or don’t have.
After a speaking engagement last week, the business owner, Dr. Ellis Shwarts, and I exchanged gifts.
My gift to him – meh.
His gift to me – clever, perfect and MEMORABLE.
Later I wrote Dr. Shwarts, “Your gift is so very thoughtful, and no one has given me this gift before. It was perfect.”
He replied, “Glad you liked it! I got the idea from www.giftologygroup.com. I heard them on a podcast discussing gifts for professionals and how a good gift to someone is something they would appreciate (like you mentioning your coffee ice cream in your bio…).
Dr. Ellis Shwarts
He noticed my email sig line and read my bio in advance. He did his homework.
“SPEAKER, AUTHOR AND COFFEE ICE CREAM EATER”
Dr. Shwarts gave me a gallon of coffee ice cream! Beyond perfect and I dug in as soon as I got back to my office.
Two epiphanies about business gift giving that have the best “return on relationship”
1️⃣ Be thoughtful. What does the recipient really care about?
2️⃣ It’s not about the money! You don’t have to spend a fortune.
The Titanic Immersion Exhibit in Boca Raton, FL. Kate and Leo are somewhere….
Answer: No, it’s not your content or delivery. Read on ➡
Picture this scenario. You are a ship. Everyone you are talking to is the harbor.
If the ship misses the harbor, it’s rarely the harbor’s fault.
Last week Jimmy and I did an immersive adventure “on” the Titanic while visiting dear friends, Kyle and Jeff, in Boca Raton, FL.
It sank.
You’ll sink too if you don’t meet your “harbor’s” needs.
🚢 Titanic Moments
Last week I wrote about “What’s the fastest way to lose a room?”. (The answer is, “Point Number Four”. Please don’t give us 4 or more main points or reasons – it’s too much for our gnat-sized multi-tasking brains.)
🧊 You’ll lose us on Point Number ONE if you don’t understand who you’re speaking to.
🚢 Avoid icebergs by knowing these answers
Who are you talking to?
Where is their pain?
What are they good at?
Who competes with them?
Where can they improve?
What defines success for them?
How knowledgeable are they about your topic?
Experience range?
Not to insult you, but get the names right too! Just the other day a client told me that her prospective real estate agent kept calling her “Jay” instead of “Jordan”. She has gone a different direction!
🚢 The Titanic and you
A lot of mistakes were made on that 4.10.1912 voyage. The main cause was a mixture of overconfidence in the ship’s safety and fatal human decisions from sailing too fast in known icy waters to not enough lifeboats.
You can avoid Titanic Moments by understanding your audience and talking about what matters to them.
Happy sailing at the lectern, in your meetings, and with your teams.
Photo credit: corny pic taken by a fellow “Titanic passenger”
You explain, “There’re seven possibilities,” or “I’ve been thinking about a dozen data points.”
You’re thorough, but you’ve lost the room (especially if it’s virtual).
Keep it to 3 main points / reasons.
Why the Rule of 3 works
BTW all my clients, over many years, love The Magic Power of 3 Rule!
In fact, one client shared (with a smile), “Karen, I’m mad at you!” I asked, “Why?”
He replied, “Since you coached me to use The Magic Power of Three that’s all I see… everywhere … on bill boards, articles, presentations, and emails.”
Thank you, Tim Hughes, Founder/CEO of Falcon Realty Advisors, for that comment, and for sending me Andrea Wojnicki’s article in Inc. explaining the science of why this rule works. Using Andrea’s words:
1️⃣ Three is balanced. Think of a tripod or stool. Ever sat at a wobbly restaurant table?
2️⃣ Three is substantial. Two points feel thin, three “makes a trend”.
3️⃣ Three is manageable. You respect your audience’s capacity / cognitive load. Your message is easier to understand and to recall.
Where to use The Magic Power of Three
Newsletters.
Workshops.
Emails.
Sales pitches.
Meeting agenda.
Self-introductions.
Everywhere!
Note: Sometimes ONE point is enough, and sometimes it takes more… but make the rule of 3 your baseline.
The AI conundrum
The rule of three has become a signal that your content is AI-generated.
I agree with Wojnicki, “I’d encourage you to let that go. AI caught on because it works. It’s the sweet spot between too little and too much.”
A lot of mistakes were made on that 4.10.1912 voyage. The main cause was a mixture of overconfidence in the ship’s safety and fatal human decisions from sailing too fast in known icy waters to not enough lifeboats.
