Practice, Practice, Practice: Elevating Your Effective Communication in Leadership

by Stephanie Bickel

We’ve heard a lot about the power of practice, from soccer coaches to piano teachers, parents to entrepreneurs. And when we’ve heeded that advice, we’ve proven our mentors right! The good news is that the same benefits of practice apply to speaking skills, as well. So make sure you take time to practice the message you want to deliver – whether it’s giving a speech, making a point in a meeting, providing your boss with an update, or having a tough conversation. When it comes to elevating your effective communication in leadership, practice is key, and will further maximize your impact.

And make it a challenge; try to throw yourself off your game. Practice some of the ideas below to help stay focused and manage distractions:

Tips for Elevating Your Effective Communication With:

Practice in conversations with strangers, at work.
Practice stories on people who don't know you are practicing.
Test one liners in Zoom chat rooms to see what kind of response you get.
Turn on a strobe light on your cell phone and flash it into your face while you deliver your talk.
Practice in the mirror and believe in what you see.
Practice with the radio on (try different channels).
Practice your talk as a song. Make it opera. Make it Taylor Swift.
Practice in a cold shower.
Practice while upside down.
Practice on a treadmill - when you’re out of breath.
Practice while lifting weights.

The point is to know, own, and believe in your message so thoroughly that nothing can distract you. When you learn the key to communication in leadership, nothing can stop you!

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