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Get Better At Series

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…Building Trust

A professional development series

Active listening is a fundamental component of effective communication, enabling us to provide our full attention, validate the thoughts and feelings of others, and establish an atmosphere of respect and trust. Here are some practical steps you can take to become a more active listener:

Provide your undivided attention: When engaging in a conversation, ensure that you are fully present and focused on the speaker. Minimize distractions, such as turning off or silencing your phone, closing unnecessary tabs, and creating a conducive environment for meaningful dialogue.

Maintain eye contact: Eye contact is a powerful non-verbal cue that signals your attentiveness and interest in the conversation. By maintaining eye contact, you convey respect and show the speaker that you are actively engaged in what they are saying.

Avoid interrupting: Interrupting can disrupt the flow of conversation and make the speaker feel unheard or undervalued. Practice patience and allow the speaker to express their thoughts and ideas fully before responding. Remember that the conversation is a two-way process, and everyone deserves a chance to be heard.

Reflect and paraphrase: Show your understanding and empathy by reflecting and paraphrasing the speaker’s thoughts and feelings. Summarize what they have said in your own words to ensure you have grasped their message accurately. This not only helps you clarify your understanding but also demonstrates your genuine interest in their perspective.

Ask open-ended questions: Open-ended questions encourage the speaker to elaborate and provide more detailed information. They show that you are actively seeking to understand their viewpoint and deepen the conversation. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” as they tend to limit the scope of discussion.

Practice empathy: Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes and strive to understand their emotions, concerns, and needs. Empathy allows you to respond in a supportive and understanding manner, fostering a sense of trust and building stronger connections with others.

By incorporating these steps into your daily interactions, you can cultivate a culture of active listening that positively impacts your professional relationships. Effective communication and the ability to truly listen are vital skills that can lead to enhanced collaboration, increased productivity, and ultimately, greater success.

I encourage you to start implementing these strategies and observe the positive changes they can bring to your professional interactions. As we prioritize active listening, we create an environment where individuals feel valued, understood, and motivated to share their thoughts and ideas openly.

If you’re interested in learning more about how our team building services can benefit your team or organization, please let us know and we can set up an appointment time that works for you.

Public Speaking Tips: Boost Confidence with the Power Pose

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power pose

Public speaking can be a daunting task for many individuals. The nervousness, self-doubt, and fear of judgment can hinder our ability to express ourselves effectively. Fortunately, there are public speaking tips we can share that help us overcome these obstacles and build the confidence needed to excel in public speaking. One such technique is the Power Pose, a simple exercise that can have a profound impact on our mindset and overall confidence. In this article, we will explore how the Power Pose can help you build confidence and conquer your fear of public speaking.

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“But I have a secret: I make myself big. Before I go into the room, I find somewhere private, I stand up on my tiptoes, put my arms in the air and make myself as big as possible to feel my own power. Like this.” – Rebecca Welton, Ted Lasso

Understanding the Power Pose

The Power Pose is a body language exercise that involves adopting open and expansive postures to convey confidence and power. It was popularized by social psychologist Amy Cuddy, who suggested that certain body postures can influence our hormone levels and psychological state. By practicing the Power Pose, you can tap into a reservoir of confidence and project a more commanding presence, even in stressful situations like public speaking.

How to Do the Power Pose

  1. Stand tall: Start by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your shoulders back and relaxed. Imagine a string pulling the crown of your head towards the ceiling, elongating your spine.
  2. Open up your body: Lift your chin slightly, open your chest, and avoid crossing your arms. This posture conveys openness and confidence.
  3. Assume a wide stance: Place your hands on your hips and spread your legs slightly wider than your shoulders. This stance helps you feel grounded and stable.
  4. Hold the pose: Stay in the Power Pose for about 2 minutes or longer if you feel comfortable. Take deep breaths, relax, and focus on feeling confident and powerful.

Public Speaking Tips: Building Confidence

Now that you know how to do the Power Pose, let’s explore how it can specifically help you overcome the challenges of public speaking:

  1. Reducing anxiety: Public speaking often triggers anxiety and stress. The Power Pose can help alleviate these feelings by reducing cortisol, the stress hormone, and increasing testosterone levels. This physiological response can create a sense of calmness and control.
  2. Enhancing presence and charisma: The Power Pose allows you to project confidence and authority. By adopting an open and expansive posture, you can capture the attention of your audience and create a positive impression. This increased presence can boost your charisma and captivate your listeners.
  3. Shifting mindset: Our body language can influence our mindset. When you strike a Power Pose, you are embodying confidence, which can lead to a shift in your mindset. By visualizing yourself as a confident and capable speaker, you can enhance your self-belief and overcome self-doubt.
  4. Improving vocal delivery: The Power Pose also affects our breathing and vocal delivery. When you stand tall and open up your chest, it allows for better airflow and projection. As a result, your voice becomes stronger, more resonant, and commands attention.

Conclusion

Public speaking may feel intimidating, but with the Power Pose, you have a powerful tool to build confidence and conquer your fears. By practicing this exercise regularly, you can tap into your inner strength, project confidence, and deliver impactful presentations. Remember, body language plays a crucial role in shaping our mindset, and the Power Pose can be your secret weapon to mastering public speaking. So, stand tall, embrace your power, and watch as your confidence soars to new heights.

Disclaimer: While the Power Pose has gained popularity, the scientific evidence regarding its effects on confidence and hormones remains a subject of ongoing research. Nevertheless, many individuals find it beneficial as a tool for enhancing their mindset and confidence.

Remember, public speaking is a skill that improves with practice, and the Power Pose can serve as a valuable tool in your toolbelt.

Get help with your power pose and other professional public speaking tips from our pros. Contact us to get started.

Beneficial and Fun Call Center Agent Training

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call center agents

Call center agent training can bring up visions of boring videos and power points. But as your company’s representatives, your agents need to be engaging and thoughtful in their daily duties. Using the basics of improv can create an environment of inclusion, collaboration and responsibility. Yes, improv training can be highly beneficial for call center employees.

Benefits of improv for call center agent training

  1. Active Listening: Improv emphasizes active listening, a crucial skill for call center employees. Improv exercises train individuals to be fully present, listen attentively, and respond effectively. By honing their active listening skills through improv, call center employees can better understand customer needs, concerns, and questions, leading to more effective and satisfying interactions.
  2. Building Rapport: Improv encourages building rapport and establishing connections with others. In a call center setting, developing a rapport with customers is vital for effective communication and customer satisfaction. Improv helps employees practice building rapport through improvisational exercises that focus on empathy, understanding, and connecting with others. This can result in more positive interactions and enhanced customer relationships.
  3. Thinking on Their Feet: Call center employees often encounter unexpected situations and challenging customer inquiries. Improv training enhances their ability to think on their feet, adapt quickly, and respond appropriately in real-time. Improv exercises provide practice in handling unexpected scenarios, helping call center employees feel more confident and composed during high-pressure situations.
  4. Effective Communication: Improv training places a strong emphasis on clear and concise communication. Call center employees can benefit from improv exercises that focus on expressing ideas, thoughts, and information in a manner that is easy for customers to understand. By developing their communication skills through improv, employees can provide accurate and concise information, reducing customer frustration and enhancing overall communication effectiveness.
  5. Dealing with Difficult Customers: Call center employees often encounter challenging or irate customers. Improv training equips them with techniques to handle difficult situations with grace and professionalism. Through improv exercises, employees learn strategies such as active listening, empathy, and finding common ground, which can be invaluable in defusing tense customer interactions and maintaining positive customer relationships.
  6. Confidence and Empowerment: Improv training helps build confidence and self-assurance. By participating in improv activities, call center employees develop a sense of empowerment, enabling them to handle a variety of customer interactions with greater confidence. This increased confidence can positively impact their performance, job satisfaction, and overall well-being.
  7. Team Collaboration: Improv promotes teamwork and collaboration, which is crucial in a call center environment. Improv exercises encourage employees to support and build upon each other’s ideas, fostering a collaborative and cohesive team dynamic. This collaborative mindset enhances teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills among call center employees, resulting in improved customer service and employee satisfaction.

In conclusion

By incorporating improv training into call center employee development programs, organizations can enhance their customer service quality, boost employee morale, and improve overall call center performance. Improv’s emphasis on communication, adaptability, and building rapport can lead to more positive and satisfying customer experiences. Afterwards, your team will be happier and more effective communicators, reducing turnover and excelling in your field.

Our team can craft a custom made workshop plan to answer your specific concerns within your call center agent training intentions in mind. So contact us today to get started.

Unlocking the Secrets of Public Speaking

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Public speaking can be a daunting task for many, but with the right approach, anyone can become a great public speaker. By applying the Pareto Principle, we can identify the key areas that yield the most significant results unlocking the secrets of public speaking. In this blog post, we’ll explore the essential elements you need to know to excel in public speaking.

Overcome Fear and Build Confidence

To begin your journey as a powerful public speaker, conquering fear and building confidence is paramount. Recognize and confront your fears, and gradually expose yourself to speaking situations. Techniques like deep breathing, visualization, and positive self-talk can help manage anxiety. Start with small speaking engagements or practice in front of supportive audiences to boost your confidence gradually. Remember, confidence is contagious, and it paves the way for engaging and impactful presentations.

Structuring Your Speech

The structure of your speech forms its backbone. Mastering this aspect allows you to present your ideas effectively. Learn the art of crafting a concise and engaging introduction, a well-structured body, and a memorable conclusion. Study various speech frameworks, such as problem-solution or storytelling formats, and understand when to employ them. Practice organizing your thoughts logically to keep your audience captivated throughout your speech.

Developing Engaging Content

Great public speakers understand their audience’s needs and cater to them. Identify your target audience and tailor your content accordingly. Focus on creating attention-grabbing openings and powerful closing statements. Utilize storytelling techniques, anecdotes, statistics, or visual aids to make your content relatable and memorable. The ability to connect with your audience on an emotional level through engaging content will leave a lasting impact.

Mastering Delivery Skills

Delivery skills play a vital role in captivating your audience. Pay attention to your body language, maintaining good posture, using purposeful gestures, and establishing eye contact. Work on your vocal variety, employing changes in tone, pace, and volume to keep your audience engaged. Effective use of pauses, emphasis, and rhetorical devices can elevate your message. Mastering these delivery skills enhances your presence and influence as a public speaker.

Handling Q&A and Improvisation

Public speaking often involves interacting with the audience. To excel in this aspect, develop techniques to handle questions with finesse. Practice active listening, paraphrasing, and providing concise answers. Enhance your ability to think on your feet through impromptu speaking exercises and mock Q&A sessions. Adapt your message based on audience reactions and feedback, showing your flexibility and ability to connect with your listeners.

Learn the Secrets of Public Speaking

Becoming a remarkable public speaker requires a focused approach. By harnessing the power of the Pareto Principle, you can concentrate your efforts on the vital aspects that yield the greatest results. Overcome your fears, structure your speech effectively, develop engaging content, master delivery skills, and handle audience interaction with finesse. Embrace this journey, and watch your public speaking prowess soar to new heights.

Get public speaking coaching one on one or for your team. Contact us to find out how our facilitators can help.

Why Should I get a Professional Communication Coach?

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Effective communication is an essential skill in both personal and professional settings. It allows us to connect with others, build relationships, and effectively convey our thoughts and ideas. Unfortunately, not everyone is a natural communicator, and some of us may struggle to express ourselves clearly or handle difficult conversations. This is where a communication coach can be incredibly helpful.

A communication coach is a trained professional who helps individuals improve their communication skills. By working with a coach, individuals can learn how to express themselves more clearly, listen more effectively, and handle difficult conversations with greater ease.

Confidence

One potential benefit of working with a communication coach is improved confidence. Many people struggle with communication due to a lack of confidence in their ability to express themselves effectively. A coach can help individuals build confidence in their communication skills, which can lead to better relationships and more successful interactions with others.

Improved listening skills are another potential benefit of working with a coach. Good listening is an important part of effective communication, and a coach can help individuals develop this skill. By learning how to listen more actively and attentively, individuals can better understand others and build stronger relationships.

Greater clarity and precision in communication is another area where a coach can be helpful. By learning how to express oneself more clearly and accurately, individuals can reduce misunderstandings and improve their ability to get their point across.

In addition to these benefits, a coach can also help individuals improve their presentation skills and become more effective public speakers. This is especially useful for those in leadership roles or for those who frequently give presentations in their professional life.

Conflicts

Finally, a coach can also help individuals resolve conflicts and handle difficult conversations more effectively. By learning how to communicate in a more assertive and effective way, individuals can navigate difficult situations with greater ease and build stronger relationships as a result.

In summary, working with a communication coach can have numerous benefits. It can help individuals build confidence, improve their listening skills, become more clear and precise in their communication, and handle difficult situations more effectively. Whether you’re looking to improve your communication skills in your personal life or your professional career, a coach can be an invaluable resource. So, it is always a good idea to consider working with a communication coach to enhance your communication skills.

Learn about our Communication Coaching or Executive Presence. Get started today by contacting us.

Where do you rank? 9 Essentials for Public Speaking

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Public speaking is an essential skill for anyone looking to make an impact in their personal or professional life. From delivering presentations at work to giving a toast at a wedding, effective public speaking can help you convey your message, engage your audience, and achieve your goals. In this blog post, we’ll cover 9 key elements of effective public speaking, from dressing appropriately to creating a slide deck.

By understanding and mastering these elements, you can become a confident and engaging public speaker who can captivate any audience. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to improve your existing skills, these tips and techniques will help you take your public speaking to the next level. So, let’s dive in and explore the essential elements of effective public speaking!

9 Essentials of Public Speaking

Appearance

Dress Appropriately

Dressing appropriately is an essential aspect of public speaking that can make a significant impact on your audience. Wearing the right outfit can help you convey a professional image, boost your confidence, and make a positive first impression. Your clothing choice should reflect the occasion and your personal style, while also considering factors such as comfort and practicality. Whether you opt for formal attire or casual wear, ensure that you are dressed appropriately for the occasion and feel comfortable in your outfit.

Good Posture

Good posture is crucial for effective public speaking. Standing up straight and maintaining good posture can help you project confidence, engage your audience, and convey authority. Poor posture can make you appear nervous, disengaged, and unprofessional. To improve your posture, practice standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your shoulders back and your chin level, and avoid slouching or hunching over.

Eye Contact

Maintaining eye contact with your audience is a powerful tool for connecting with them and conveying confidence. Looking at your audience while speaking can help you establish trust, build rapport, and demonstrate your authority. Avoiding eye contact, on the other hand, can make you appear unconfident, disengaged, and uninterested in your audience. To improve your eye contact, practice looking at your audience members for a few seconds at a time while speaking, and avoid looking down or around the room.

Good Volume

Speaking at the right volume is essential for ensuring that your audience can hear and understand your message. Speaking too softly can make it difficult for your audience to hear you, while speaking too loudly can be overwhelming and distracting. To improve your volume, practice speaking at different volumes and asking for feedback from others. Pay attention to your audience’s reactions and adjust your volume as necessary.

Actions

Move on Stage

Moving on stage can help you engage your audience and keep them focused on your message. Standing in one place for too long can be monotonous and boring, while moving around can help you maintain your audience’s attention and emphasize important points. To improve your movement, practice walking around your practice space while speaking and identify areas where you can move on stage during your speech.

Use Their Body and Hands

Using your body and hands can help you emphasize your message and make your speech more engaging. Gesturing while speaking can help you convey emotion, emphasize important points, and keep your audience focused on your message. To improve your use of body and hands, practice using gestures that are appropriate to your message and practice in front of a mirror or with a friend to get feedback.

Sound

Clear Enunciation

Clear enunciation is crucial for ensuring that your audience can understand your message. Pronouncing your words clearly and articulating your message can help you convey your ideas effectively and engage your audience. To improve your enunciation, practice speaking slowly and clearly, and pay attention to your pronunciation of difficult words.

Use of Silence

Using silence can be a powerful tool for public speaking. Pausing at the right moment can help you emphasize an important point, convey emotion, and give your audience time to reflect on your message. To use silence to your advantage, practice incorporating pauses into your speech and identify areas where silence can be used to enhance your message.

Pacing

Speaking at the right pace is essential for ensuring that your audience can follow your message and stay engaged. Speaking too quickly can be overwhelming, while speaking too slowly can be boring. To improve your pacing, practice speaking at a comfortable pace and use pauses and changes in tone to emphasize important points.

Get started with Essentials for Public Speaking

Anthony’s programs are available online or in person, as a class or private coaching. So get started by learning more, see our public speaking progam or contact us today.