The Secret to Effective Communication

Companies looking to excel are aware that effective communication lies at the heart of a successful business.  MJ Consulting works with clients to ensure they get their messages across clearly and consistently as well as highlighting their personality and credibility in every situation. Here, Maryanne Johnston discusses successful presentation skills and public speaking strategies.

I start working with my clients from the premise that most of them are already pretty effective communicators. They wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they weren’t effective already. But there are often times when things can go wrong – where the situation changes, the pressure is on; you’re not feeling on form and so on. These are the times when our natural skills often get lost by the wayside. I show clients how to ensure they consistently play at the top of their game, no matter how much pressure they’re under, or how many people are in the audience, there might be 5 people or 500. I show clients what it is they’re doing in conversation that makes them a good communicator naturally and then show them how to transfer those skills into different situations.
 
There are many things we do in everyday conversation that we do not realise we are doing; to give an example, pausing to think, pausing to let our listener think about what we've just said - this happens naturally because we wait to get feedback from listeners - like a nod/yes before carrying onto the next point. However, in a more formal environment where there are several people in the audience you are less likely to get the signals/nods/feedback and often, without the signals, we start wondering if people are following our ideas or if we have lost their attention, or if they're bored and so on. This then adds pressure to the speaker and makes him/her want to speed up and get finished as quickly as possible. But by speeding up, the speaker’s ideas will be delivered too quickly and the listener won’t have time to keep up resulting in the audience losing track and switching off.
 
Another critical area I work on is the structure of what's being said and how to put it into notes or script format. Again using a conversational approach is key here. We need to think about what happens when we talk to people in everyday relaxed conversation – because conversation works for most of us. Imagine if you are at a social occasion where you don't know anybody else there – what is the first thing we do as human nature when we meet new people? We start the conversation by finding subjects that are of mutual interest. We then build the conversation around that. It's the same with making a presentation - instead of thinking at first about what you want to tell people - do an audience analysis - have a think about what they already know, what they're expectations are, what knowledge they have on the subject, what's going to be interesting for them - this way everything else you say, examples, stories, case studies will be directly relevant to them and will keep them interested throughout.

By using interesting language such as metaphors, similes and analogies you can make the presentation more interesting, and more importantly help people remember what you've said. These are tools we use everyday in conversation when talking to colleagues/clients/customers/friends and family - so use them in presentations too. Often presentations are put together starting with an introduction, giving background, history, a CV of yourself, reasoning behind your arguments then conclusion. But, if you are sitting in the audience listening to a presentation structured this way, you're probably thinking to yourself.... I wish they'd just get to the point...! You need to work on what your key points are going to be, then back them up with interesting and relevant evidence. This will also make it a lot easier for your audience to remember what you’ve said.
 
In terms of using notes or a script, I always recommend having some form of prompts as a safety net that supports you throughout the communication process. Most of us have experienced a moment of putting down the phone and realising we have forgotten a couple of points or realising we have gone off on a tangent leaving the outlined structure or having what I call a ‘flash of brilliance’. This although very interesting will result in waffle and is valuable time which could be used more proficiently. Prepare notes, stick to them and you will be clear, concise and come across as being well organised and prepared.
 
Visual aids (VA’s) should be thought about, believe it or not, towards the end of your preparation. I always recommend that clients think about their structure, on paper, then decide what VAs will really add value. This way they will support your messages and earn their place in your presentation. Whether you are in a meeting with a couple of clients or speaking to a large audience at an event, people are there to listen to your messages and get a feel for your personality – in a professional sense, not to listen to a running commentary of PowerPoint slides. Use slides sparingly, they are excellent for demonstrating figures, flow charts, graphs, pictures, but keep them simple and clear. Bullet points should be brief and again used sparingly.
 
The Q&A period is just as important, if not more so, than the presentation itself, so remember to prepare for it. Use the question and answer session as an opportunity rather than a reaction. It is a great chance to get additional points across to the audience and allow you to use further examples to build up credibility. Make sure you listen carefully, thinking before you answer and be brief and to the point, this should stimulate more questions.
 
Many presentations continue from within the question and answer session to become a negotiation (whether it be in an interview or a pitch). This can be perceived as a tricky part of the communication process but there are some simple rules to follow that will ensure both parties end up with what they want. Negotiating is something we do everyday, whether buying/renting house, deciding where to go for dinner with friends/family, discussing salary with boss/potential employer - and more often than not, an all round agreement is possible. Much of what it takes is preparation. As Abraham Lincoln once said "If I was given 3 minutes to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 2 sharpening the axe". If you fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Knowledge is power and will increase your confidence, and give you time to listen. The key thing is to work out what your most favoured position is and what your fall back position is, from this then try and work out what the other side's positions would be. During the negotiation, make sure you continually clarify exactly what's on the table so there is no misinterpretation. Through skillful and investigative questioning you can collect as much information as possible. Be creative, the more ingredients, the more value you have to work with. Negotiate the most valuable elements first and play fair. Remember – you are aiming for a win/win situation, so keep it friendly and calm, if you need a break or adjournment, take one and let emotions cool.
 
The key thing to remember is that with a structured way of thinking and planned preparation a much better outcome can be reached. Essentially, what I am doing is improving the way people communicate, working on their strengths and enhancing what they already do naturally so that their performance is always the best that it can be no matter what the situation. It is not about changing the way they are, but more highlighting and fine tuning their style. With some help and guidance anybody can talk their way to the top, win new business and engage much better with clients and customers.

Maryanne Johnston is Managing Director of MJ Consulting, one of the UK’s most successful effective spoken communications consultancy firms whose impressive client list includes Think Global Recruitment, 442 Design, Graham Tiso Ltd and Noble Fund Managers.

Johnston has been advising clients in critical communications for over 6 years, having trained with one of the leading consultancies in this field in London.   MJ Consulting was founded in 2004 and is based in Edinburgh, and operates throughout the UK.

MJ Consulting, 2nd Floor, 2 Cochran Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 4BJ
Tel: 0131 466 6051 
Email: info@mjohnstonconsulting.co.uk
Web: www.mjohnstonconsulting.co.uk