Communicating with Power
“Remember that what pulls the strings is the force hidden within; there lies the power to persuade, there the life — there, if one must speak out, the real man.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
Power is a loaded word, conjuring up positive and negative images for
people. Good or bad, power is a critical component of communicating with
A.P.P.E.A.L. It’s what captures and holds people’s attention, and spurs
them into action.
There are three elements that powerful communicators share:
-Knowledge of their subject
-Belief in their message
-Energy in their delivery
Whether you’re writing, speaking, or conversing, your communication is
powerful when these things are present and working together. Let’s look
at each in detail.
You Gotta Start Somewhere
Having knowledge is a clear prerequisite for communicating powerfully. But
keep two things in mind. First, you don’t have to know everything to
claim you know something. My clients trip up on this all the time. “What
if I don’t know enough?” “What if people find out I’m not an
expert?” Not only is it impossible to know everything, there’s really no
objective measure that definitively says “You now have Knowledge. Ta-da!”
So start where you are and build on it. Don’t avoid giving a talk,
writing an article, networking, or joining an interest group because you’re
afraid you don’t know enough. You’ll often find when you share your
knowledge of a topic, people know less about it than you think!
Second, don’t be afraid to not know. I’ve never heard anyone get
boo’ed off a stage because they answered a question with “I don’t
know.” True knowledge is built by following up that “I don’t know”
with “I’ll find out and get back to you.” The most knowledgeable
people know where to find information quickly. Fortunately, the Internet
makes us all more knowledgeable by this definition!
If You Believe It, They’ll Believe You
Powerful communicators not only know what they are talking about, they
also believe in their own words. What made Martin Luther King, Jr. a
powerful communicator was that he really did have a dream, one that
permeated his whole being. If you have the emotional conviction behind what
you say or write, people feel the power.
Unfortunately, belief is hard to drum up if it’s not there to begin
with. Choosing a topic, a livelihood, or a relationship you believe in
makes talking or writing about it much easier! Ask anyone who started a
business to uphold family tradition; chose a career because it made lots of
money; or proposed to someone because it “made sense.” Communicating
without belief often leaves us drained, powerless.
So check in with yourself before you start talking or typing. Do you
believe in your subject? Is it consistent with your values? Do you really
care about what you’re saying? The more aligned your words are with who
you are, the more impact those words will have on others.
Turn Up the Juice
So you know something about your topic and you believe in it. Now it’s
time to breathe life into your words. When writing, select language that is
creative, descriptive, alive. Make use of examples, stories and analogies
whenever possible. Face it, as readers we want to be enthralled. So know
who your audience is and write to hold their attention.
When speaking, do all this and more. Use your voice as a tool to create
excitement, significance, even tension. Vary your pace, change your vocal
tone, use pauses for effect. If all this sounds daunting, try this
exercise. Before giving a talk, practice it as if you were telling a
children’s bedtime story. Really exaggerate, noticing how you emphasize
particular words, change your pitch, and pause in certain places. Now
rehearse it again in your normal voice, remembering your bedtime version.
Consider recording before and after this exercise so you can hear the
difference.
Pump Up the Power
Naturally, all this takes preparation and practice, but if it’s worth
communicating, it’s worth communicating well. Try it for yourself next
time you have to write or speak with power. Review and own what you know
about the topic. Ensure that you believe in your own words. Communicate
what you know with energy and enthusiasm. You’ll soon find people
listening more intently, and treating you with the respect you’ve earned
as a powerful communicator!
