This will be really hard for you to hear if you are a good communicator, if you speak most Sundays to a decent crowd, if you feel confident in your ability as a communicator, if you are a pastor but you need to hear it.
I need to hear it too. Often.
You will lose your audience if you don't continue to level up.
Watch this --->
Here is the direct link to watch it: https://youtu.be/mhTTz5lXUKc
Top 5 ways to level up your communication today:
First, if you aren't comfortable with what you are doing today work on refining it. Spend some time thinking through what you don't like and then experiment with little tweaks.
Ok here are the top 5 ways to level up:
- Hang out with fellow communicators who are passionate about their craft. There is nothing better than thinking through your process with someone else who is also thinking through their process and understands the complexities of being a communicator. Be intentional, set aside your pride, set the stage and tell them you want help not just encouragement.
- Take an online course. There are lots of them. I have one you can start today with instant results: https://www.thespeakingcourse.com/ Carey Nieuwhof is coming out with one. Eric Samuel Timm has one too. My course is designed to make you a great communicator especially if you are a pastor or Christian speaker. I literally packed 15 years of lessons into a sweet course that will have you improving your craft in (literally) minutes. Videos. Worksheets. Cheatsheets. The whole deal. An online course is a way to jump up multiple levels in a very short amount of time with minimal investment.
- Join a Toastmasters International Club. My friend Joe (a remarkable communicator himself) has young leaders who are learning how to communicate go to Toastmasters. It is a great idea to get real time practice and feedback. (If you are out there Joe thanks for the idea.)
- Eliminate stuff. If you are really looking to level up but don't want to invest energy into learning just experiment by eliminating stuff from your routine. While I think this is the weakest way to level up it still can work for you. Here is why. It is easy to become over dependent on notes, tools, routine and settings. Change it up. Drop down to one page of notes. Try and outline or kill your outline. Through out the manuscript. Work on memorizing your talk. Use keywords. Remove the podium. Throw out the music stand. I don't know what works for you at your level with your style but set a goal for how you want to communicate and then experiment with ways to get there.
- Study the best communicators in your field. Don't take notes on what they say, take notes on how they say it. Watch the best of the best, preferably with different styles of communication and take a lot of notes. Pay attention to their rhythm, how they engage the audience and how enhance their delivery with pace, pause and tone. Watch their movements, when they move and when they stop moving. Learn from them and translate those lessons into applications that fit your style and speaking DNA.
Or start fast and free with instant results go here and download the free stuff geared to help you level up : http://www.joshuaott.us/maximize/
By the way the best communicators aren't born that way, they work really hard on their craft and they care very much about their delivery. They got to where they are by constantly leveling up. You can get there too.
People who are good at something often feel like they are good enough. People who are great at something are always looking for ways to get better.
Your voice matters,
Josh