In another corner, you’ll find a White cop who cares about keeping his community safe. Opposite him, you’ll find a Black woman who views law enforcement as a threat to her safety.

Our lives are filled with these types of binary debates. Our politicians, podcasters, and social media platforms serve up supercharged outrage to drive voter, listener, and user engagement. The “other” side is presented as being all bad, motivated solely by evil desires.

As a result, nuance falls to the side. We no longer seek to understand why someone thinks as they do. We lump all people into a single category, erasing their individual identities and experiences, forgetting that actual people can hold a variety of complicated and even contradictory opinions. And if we had hoped to persuade them, we would fail, because few people being attacked as evil can make space to process new information, reconsider a viewpoint, or experience a change of heart.

I’m not naive. Some viewpoints can never be reconciled. I will never be friends with someone who advocates racist hate, for example, or who treats people with casual cruelty. So I’ll add an important caveat: this post assumes we’re dealing with people operating in good faith.

Here’s this post’s question: Can two people of good faith find common ground when they’re worlds apart?

I’ve recently become aware of a remarkable docuseries called The Enemies Project. In each hourlong episode, host Larry Rosen – an experienced mediation lawyer – speaks with two people who, on the surface, have little in common. According to the show’s description, “The Enemies Project is neither gotcha TV nor political debate. The purpose is for ‘enemies’ to find the humanity in the other — because in a warring world, understanding is rebellion.”

The participants aren’t allowed to spend more than a few minutes accusing the other person of being wrong. Instead, Larry encourages each person to go deep – to discuss what brings them joy, sadness, and meaning. Rather than trying to drive an argument, the participants are encouraged to listen – to truly hear the other person. To help make sure that happens, the participants even switch roles, allowing them to play the other person and articulate, as sincerely as possible, the feelings and beliefs of the other.

Inevitably, the two “enemies” find areas in which they reveal shared values. The two combatants who entered the ring as implacable rivals walk away, at the very least, seeing the other person more completely. What becomes clear is that when one person feels truly understood – and doesn’t feel like they’re being lectured to – they voluntarily take a few steps toward the other person. It’s no wonder the participants often end their conversation in tears or with an extended hug.

This approach isn’t a panacea – no single solution is. But in a world in which division is the most potent currency, conversations that help to rebuild our fractured society should be nourished more than ever before.

The post The Enemies Project: Productive Conversations in Divided Times appeared first on Throughline Group.

Dangling cords or an ill-placed pack can distract you and the audience, as well as make you appear less polished – particularly if others on the stage have more effectively integrated the hardware into their appearance.

Simple Fixes To Hide Your Lav Cord

Given the components of a wireless lav (a small mic that is attached to a cable that leads to a small battery pack), you should have a plan for how you’ll handle the hardware.

Here are some options:

• Once you’ve clipped the mic to your tie, lapel, neckline, or placket of your shirt (the strip of material where your buttons are), run the cord under your clothes and attach it to the battery pack, which is either clipped to your waistband in the back or on the side. The pack can be hidden under your shirt or jacket. Or, you can do this in reverse, running the mic and cord under your shirt before clipping it in place.
• If you are wearing a collared shirt and jacket, you have the option of hiding the cord under your collar, so that it runs over your shoulder, down your back and attaches to the pack. If you have an interior pocket, you can place the pack in that.
• If you are wearing a wrap dress, feed the cord of the mic over your shoulder, or across your torso, and out through the small hole on the side of the dress for the belt or waist strap of the dress. Then, connect it to the battery pack, which may be clipped on the belt.
• If you don’t have a belt or such a placement causes discomfort, you can opt for a flexible strap that wraps around your chest, waist, thigh, or ankle. You wear these under your clothes and they keep the pack concealed and secure. Some manufacturers in this space are Viviana, Versa Flex, and URSA Straps. URSA provides a series of how-to videos on how to wear and position the straps. You can find them here. Here’s an example:

More Tips for Your Lavalier Mic Setup

The clothing choices you make affect the options you have to hide the mic cord and battery pack. So, give your wardrobe some thought before you head to a studio or a lecture hall to be wired up. Here are few tips:

Be smart about style and textiles. Some options are better than others. High necklines, such as jewel necklines, for instance, may force you to clip the mic too close to your neck, which could result in a muffled sound. Some fabrics, such as silk, can create more rustling sounds than others, while similarly lightweight fabrics may cause the mic to sag away from the speaker’s voice.

Consider layers. In order to make for a more streamlined look, or depending on whether you are wearing a jacket or sweater, you may need to tape the cord under your clothes. In fact, most of the options above will likely require tape. If you don’t want tape directly on your skin, wear an underlayer, such as a t-shirt, so the wire can be taped to material rather than directly on your skin. If possible, avoid duct or packing tape, which can be uncomfortable and may damage material. Fabric, medical, or specially made sticky tape is a better option.

Practice in a real-to-life situation. If possible, rehearse your presentation or run through your interview questions while wearing the mic you’ll be using and the clothes you intend to wear. You can assess any discomfort or glitches caused by your clothes or movement prior to going live.

We’ve offered just a few ways to mic up better. The internet is full of DIY and professional tips and strategies on how to streamline your audio look. For instance, you can find tips on to hide your mic in your hair, behind your tie, in a pair of sunglasses, and even in a necklace.

While such options may be useful in some situations, it’s OK to keep it simple. The preceding tips will work for the majority of public speaking and interview situations where wireless lavalier mics are used.

The post How to Hide a Lavalier Mic Wire appeared first on Throughline Group.

The way you end your speech is as important as the way you begin it.

This is your last chance to make an impression, inspire your audience, move them to action, or change their perspective. If you reserve your final words for an uninspiring sendoff, you run the risk of negating all that effort you’ve put into the many words that came before.

For most presenters, employing a two-part close is an effective way to ensure that your final words have maximum effect. When you use a first close and a second close, your audience has a chance to ask questions, but you have the last words – literally.

How to Close a Presentation with a Duo

As a speaker, it’s best to avoid sputtering out at the end of your speech. That’s where a dynamic first and second close comes in.

Overall, the first close wraps up the main portion of your presentation, after which you will open the floor to questions. The second close occurs after you answer the final question, allowing you to take back the floor one last time so your key messages are the last words.

The First Close

The first close is the signal that you are getting ready to land your presentation. You are transitioning from your final main point to your speech close, which could be any of the 15 we offer here, or one of your own choosing. Once you’ve finished, go ahead and open the floor to questions. Then, move on to your second close.

The Second Close

The second close prevents you from getting tripped up by a scenario such as this:

You’re toward the end of your 50-minute talk at a conference when an organizer signals that you should wrap up your session in two minutes. You call on your final hand. The questioner rises and – unfortunately – proceeds to criticize and raise doubts about your entire premise. You do your best to answer it, but you’ve run out of time and have to end the session. So, that tense exchange is the last thing your audience members will remember, not all the key points and the persuasive call to action you delivered right before opening the floor to questions.

A second close lets you calmly, clearly, and confidently reiterate your argument or main points – even if they have been picked apart! – and repeat your call to action. It’s typically concise, short, and targeted – your final pitch of the final thought you want your audience to remember. It ensures that audience members leave humming your tune, not the one your off-topic or challenging audience member happened to be humming. (Here are some tips on how to best manage your Q&A.)

Best Ways to Close a Presentation Speech

So how do you put this all together?

As you move from the main body of your presentation to the close – your first close – the audience will need a cue. This can be a spoken transition or a change in your vocal delivery or body language. Phrases can help, such as “In conclusion” or “I’d like to summarize what I said this morning.” However, there are more seamless transitions, too. Here are some you can use:

“We’ve spoken today about the very real challenges we face and a few potential solutions. Where does that leave us?”

“You might be wondering what comes next.”

You could lower or slow your voice to signal a shift. Perhaps, you pause for a few seconds or move to the opposite side of the room. If you switch off any electronics or devices, you’ve also indicated that your time is drawing to a close.

Then, you move into your first close, be it a rhetorical question, an activity, or any of the others we offer here.

Once you finish your first close, open the floor to questions. You can do that by saying something like this:

“I’d like to make a few concluding comments, but before I do, I’d love to hear your thoughts or answer any questions you might have.”

After taking the final question, move into your second close. Slow your pace or add emphasis to your final line. In this example, a doctor who is finishing a talk about healthy lifestyle changes circles back to three key points with a concise, targeted reminder in the second (and final) close:

“If you want to thrive in the decades to come, remember these three things: Exercise. Eat your vegetables. And work to reduce stress.” 

Politeness counts, too. After you are through, a simple “thank you” will do.

Most speakers benefit from ending their talk with two closes, not just one. When it comes to your first close, here’s 15 unique ways to make for memorable ending.

The post Why Your Speech Should Have Two Closes appeared first on Throughline Group.

As this is a post about one way to best convey and communicate your stories, I’ll start with one.

Back in 2004, when Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry was looking for a running mate, he met with then North Carolina senator John Edwards, a rising star in the Democratic party who also had campaigned for the presidential nomination before ending his run earlier that year.

As Kerry recounts in his 2018 memoir, Every Day is Extra, he became “unsettled” after meeting with Edwards. The source of that angst was a moving story Edwards shared during that meeting about a promise he made to his son Wade, following the teen’s tragic car accident. It wasn’t the story as much as it was the preface that bothered Kerry – Edwards told Kerry he hadn’t told the story to anyone else.

The problem was that Kerry had heard it before, at a dinner with Edwards several years earlier.

Clearly, you could give a pass to a grieving father, which is what Kerry says he did, ultimately picking Edwards as his running mate. But Kerry’s unease isn’t unique.

In a series of recent experiments, researchers Rosanna K. Smith, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Georgia and Rachel Gershon, assistant professor of marketing at the University of California San Diego, set out to measure the effect that repeated performances, such as sales pitches, stories, and presentations, had on observers.

What they found was this …

Every time study participants witnessed performers repeating themselves, such as when a politician shared the story of why she wanted to run during a speech and then repeated it during a subsequent media interview or when an entrepreneur finished his pitch with the same tagline to two different and distinct groups of potential clients, they were seen as less sincere and less authentic.

Even when study participants acknowledged those instances when repetition was required – such as a tour guide who must follow a script – they still viewed the tour guides who repeated themselves as less authentic as the ones who didn’t.

What’s happening here?

The researchers hypothesize that the problem comes from observers assuming that all social interactions are unique – that the connection is a one-time shared experience not to be repeated again. That is even when participants rationally know that repetition is necessary or even helpful in some situations – such as consistent messaging. As Smith points out in this news release:

“This thinking seems to be driven by people tending to assume that social interactions are, by default, unique – even interactions we rationally know are repeated. When you listen to a politician give a moving speech, it seems like you are having a unique interaction or connection. So, when I see a YouTube video of them saying the same thing later, it feels like they fooled me and hence, I see them as less authentic. The interaction was not the unique connection I thought it was.”

There are many interesting findings to explore in this research. I recommend checking out the full paper here. However, the fundamental takeaway for any presenter, subject matter expert, spokesperson, politician, performer, or teacher who often repeats stories (or facts, pitches, or lectures for that matter) is that frequent repetition may mean your authenticity and sincerity are going to take a hit.

As the researchers point out in their paper, “unacknowledged self-repetition is thus seen as a lie by omission.” In other words, if you fail to acknowledge your repetition, you are seen as no better than the performer who explicitly lies and says they are sharing unique material when they are not.

What’s the solution?

Does this mean if you use the same story or stories over and over again in your presentations or interviews, then you are fated to always be seen as inauthentic?

Not necessarily. In fact, there is one thing you can do – a relatively simple fix – that the researchers say will mitigate the damage, so to speak. Just simply acknowledge the repetition. Here are some examples:

“I often tell this story because I believe it has a timeless message … ”

“As I always say …”

“You may have heard me share this before …”

“Here’s a story I often end with …”

The researchers suggest that some of this might be a product of the age in which we live. Smart devices make it easy to record speeches, interviews, or performances and widely disseminate them – sometimes in real time or mere moments after the words are uttered. Share a unique story during a campaign stop on a Tuesday and it can already be old news for your TV interview the next morning.

It’s worth noting that their findings go against some of the conventional public speaking advice to not use phrases such as, “I’ve told this story before,” for fear that doing so will deflate some of the story’s power in the room. Indeed, there may be times when a self-conscious lead-in might actually sap some of the magic. Some stories have such transformational power that no amount of digital replication or vocal repetition will diminish their effect.

In the end, our advice is to be intentional. Balance the research findings with the reality. Sometimes, your story may be able to stand on its own. At others, it might benefit from a preface.

Either way, consider the reality that your audience might be harboring what the researchers call an “unspoken assumption,” that the “performance is unique unless otherwise specified.”

Want to learn more about storytelling and authenticity? Check out the four stories you should prepare to tell. And listen in to our recent podcast episode with CEO and author Sabrina Horn, who talks about how leading with authenticity is a key to professional success. 

The post Are Your Stories Making You Appear Inauthentic? appeared first on Throughline Group.

One of the outcomes of last year’s racial justice protests was an accelerated push to recognize and remove the biased, discriminatory, and offensive words that are part of our language. (We previously wrote a post on nearly two dozen terms that can be offensive and otherwise problematic.)

Many people, including yours truly, have learned that even with the best intentions, we may find ourselves inadvertently using language that is hurtful or insensitive to others.

As we all work to recognize and address our unconscious (or conscious) biases, there are tools we can use that not only help to identify insensitive words and phrases, but also indicate why they may be harmful. It is through self-introspection that we become better communicators and engage in conversations that reduce stigma and bias.

While there are many helpful guides and resources, there is one tool that I am using as I write this – Microsoft Editor. If you are a Microsoft 365 subscriber, this writing assistant not only tracks your spelling, grammar, and punctuation – and keeps your writing concise and clear – but also identifies words that reinforce harmful biases or have negative connotations.

Did the word manpower slip into your copy? You are encouraged to use a more gender-neutral term, such as labor or workforce.

Did you talk about a whitelist and a blacklist? The tool suggests removing potential bias by using the words allow list and block list instead.

This digital writing assistant won’t catch everything – we have suggestions on other guides further down in the post – but it is a start.

Here’s how you can make your Microsoft Editor tool identify language that may perpetuate biases, including those about gender, age, race, or ability, for instance. It also will flag additional words that are at risk of offending or are outdated (such as using the word Oriental to describe someone of Asian descent.)

1. Go to your Microsoft Word home page and click on Options.

2. Click on Proofing.

3. Navigate to Writing Style and check that the pull-down menu is set to Grammar & Refinements (not just grammar). Click Settings.

4. The grammar settings window will pop up. Scroll down to inclusiveness and check off the categories you want. Hit OK.

When you write your next document, click Editor in the toolbar and a pane will appear on the side of your document. It will alert you to spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity, and conciseness, as well as any inclusivity issues and sensitive phrasing you need to address.

Words Matter

Ideally, you approach this writing assistant as a tool that goes beyond simply cleaning your copy or switching out a word. The way you grow and evolve as a communicator is to use language as effectively and efficiently as possible – and that means avoiding terms that alienate, offend, or marginalize your audience.

As we noted previously, this is not an easy undertaking. It can be a divisive and challenging exercise. Even among groups that have traditionally been underrepresented and marginalized, there may be disagreements about which terms are deemed acceptable and which ones are not.

In addition to tools like Microsoft Editor, there are digital guides and other resources that you can access to make you a more sensitive and informed writer or speaker. We speak about one of those – Healthline Media’s Conscious Language Guide – in the latest episode of The Speak Good Podcast. Chief Executive Throughliner Brad Phillips welcomes Bella De Soriano, the health media company’s senior public health integrity manager, to talk about ways to be more empathetic and inclusive when it comes to talking about health and well-being. (You can listen to the episode here.)

As the title of Healthline Media’s guide suggests, becoming a more inclusive communicator requires a conscious effort. And that effort takes time and attention. When we become aware of how our vernacular might be more exclusive than inclusive, we can make better choices about the words we use – and how our audiences might receive them.

Becoming a more inclusive communicator requires a conscious effort. And that effort takes time and attention. When we become aware of how our vernacular might be more exclusive than inclusive, we can make better choices about the words we use – and how our audiences might receive them.

We can’t know everything. When we err or are perceived to have erred, all we can do is respond openly and try to become better. This tool is one step in that direction.

The post You Should Use This Inclusive Language Tool appeared first on Throughline Group.

Whether it’s a two-minute media interview or a 20-minute presentation, the ability to quickly convey your message to your audience is key.

But, what if you are talking about a complicated or complex subject, such as educational reform, or an abstract concept like the expansion of the universe? How do you best use the time to ensure that you connect with the audience, help them better understand, and bring them to your way of thinking?

What if a reporter pushes back on your points? How do you counter the criticism quickly and effectively and get the interview on track?

In all instances, there’s a tool you can use whether you are a media guest, a panelist, or a presenter, that can help you avoid long, abstract explanations and generalized statements, with the added bonus of helping your audience better understand complicated or unfamiliar subjects or concepts.

From the title of this post, you’ve probably already figured out that we’re talking about examples. An example can be many things, including a personal anecdote, a story you overheard, a case study, an illustration that demonstrates your point, an analogy, a hypothetical example that encourages your audience to imagine themselves in a situation, a meaningful statistic, or a testimonial.

Before you employ this tool, it’s best to know why examples are so effective and how best to use them. In this post, we offer five reasons that examples should be part of your communications strategy.

5 Ways Examples Make You a Better Communicator

1. Examples make the abstract concrete.

If you largely remain at the level of abstract ideas, theories, and concepts, you don’t leave your audience with much of a memory hook. You might even lose them entirely. Instead, team those abstract concepts with concrete examples.

For instance, if you only talk about the rate at which wrongful convictions occur in the United States, you’re not likely to paint a vivid picture of the problem for your audience. We tend not to have a strong emotional response to straight numbers that don’t provide any context. However, if you also shared the story of a man who spent 20 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit and what it cost him, that example provides the vivid details and emotional content that makes your point concrete and stays with the audience far longer.

(Not all abstraction is ineffective. In this post, we talk about the importance of the big picture, too.)

2. Examples make the unfamiliar familiar.

When your audience is relatively unaware about the topic, most of what you say could be abstract and unfamiliar. Examples help you to make connections with what the audience does know. In this case, using analogies lets you compare two things to help your audience more quickly visualize what you are saying. You link the concepts, objects, or ideas with words such as “is like,” “behaves similarly to,” “moves like,” etc. For instance, say you are trying to explain cryptocurrency, you might say: “A bitcoin operates like a real coin, except a bitcoin is a computer file stored in a digital wallet rather than your pocket.”

In effect, you help your audience more quickly visualize what you are saying, which gives them a familiar framework within which to place and organize the new information they are receiving.

3. Examples make you more persuasive.

If your goal is to get people to act, shift their perspective, alter their behavior, or change entrenched beliefs, simply calling for change or urging someone to do something just because you said so may not be that effective. Instead, try offering concrete, hypothetical examples that encourage your audience to imagine a better future if they follow your lead, your pitch, or your recommendation. Most importantly, your example should connect what you are proposing with how it will specifically meet their needs, concerns, and hopes. Maybe you are pitching your product to a new client. Perhaps you go with something like this: “Imagine the day when you could have one system to cover your sales, payroll, purchasing, inventory, production, delivery tracking, and more, all of which you access from a single app. How many hours would you get back each day?”

4. Examples help with your call to action.

Effective examples tend to give an audience more information and context, two things that can strengthen your call to action. Concrete requests and definitive actions make it clear to the audience what it is that you are seeking. Can you see the difference between these two calls to action?

“If you are as passionate about bringing this clean energy initiative to our community as I am, I’m going to need your help in getting the word out.”

“To get this clean energy initiative off the ground, we need several things to happen. For example, we need volunteers who will organize and run community forums over the next several weeks, as well as contact and work with our legislators to help push this forward.”

The first was a vague request the didn’t give the audience much to latch onto. The second offered specific requests that are easier to imagine and, ultimately, carry out.

5. Examples help you to back your claims.

As a way to support or overcome skepticism about a broad claim, offer an illustration. Say you are a CEO being interviewed by a reporter, and you’ve just stated that your company supports corporate diversity and inclusion programs. The reporter calls you out on your efforts. You could say:

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are important to us. Here’s just one illustration of how we are taking our commitment seriously. During the past three years, we’ve worked with several historically black colleges and universities to establish programs for first year students and sophomores during which we meet and let them know about employment opportunities within our industry, as well as what education and training is needed to get there. There’s this pipeline of talent we know we need to identify and support to establish a diverse and inclusive workforce.”

Photo by Bryan Goff on Unsplash

Great Examples Are All Around Us

The beauty of using examples is that they can easily be found. If you are part of an organization, an institution, a business, or a nonprofit, it’s likely you have a readily available library of case studies, anecdotes, and hypothetical examples that can help you to better illustrate, clarify, or explain the point or points you are trying to make.

As far as analogies, they are all around us, too. Remember that expanding universe? For years, scientists have used a famous analogy to describe how the universe’s galaxies are moving away from each other. They liken it to a loaf of raisin bread. As the bread rises and expands, the raisins (the galaxies) are pushed farther out, but they can’t escape the loaf. Maybe you’ll never have need of an analogy about an astronomical phenomenon, but it’s nice to know that even for complex theories about a process that’s happening light years away, an analogy is as close as your kitchen.

The post 5 Ways To Use Examples For Stronger Communications appeared first on Throughline Group.

Can you speak at all “five levels?” Are you just as effective when speaking to a teenager as you are when chatting with a fellow expert? Read on…

Have you ever listened to a specialist or expert in their field discuss their work and thought, “I have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s like they’re speaking a different language.”

In effect, they are.

This linguistic disconnect, whether it occurs during a talk or media interview, typically happens when a person who possesses specialized knowledge, such as a scientist, economist, engineer, researcher, policy maker, educator, architect, etc., uses the specialized language – some would call it jargon – that goes along with it.

Sure, their peers and maybe even some “amateurs” with a deep interest in that subject can pick up what they’re saying. But, too often, they fail to reach a larger audience, who would equally benefit from the messages they’re trying to convey.

To become a go-to media guest, panelist, or presenter, you’ll need to do a better job of translation. You’ll need to learn how to bring science – or whatever your specialty – alive to a general audience with a more approachable delivery.

If you’re looking for inspiration, it’s worth exploring “5 Levels,” a web series produced by the publication WIRED.

In each episode, an expert in a subject breaks it down five ways – by talking with a young child, a teen, a college student, a graduate student studying the same topic, and a fellow expert.

The series covers topics such as virtual reality, nanotechnology, cryptocurrency, and gene editing. In the video below, neuroscientist Bobby Kasthuri talks about how scientists are working to map brain cells and how they “communicate” with one another. (Spoiler: Cute kid alert!)

When it comes to complex ideas, abstract concepts, or sophisticated systems, most of us could use some help in understanding them. We suggest tailoring your words as if you were talking to a teen – which typically works well for general audiences. Even then, you can always sprinkle your delivery with some words that would ring true for an elementary school student or increase the sophistication by using terms that are familiar to a college student.

Here are a couple other videos from 5 Levels:

When you successfully translate abstract ideas and technical terminology to more casual conversation, you attract more ears to your message. At the very least, being able to speak about your work at any of those five levels will give you more communications options as you speak to a greater diversity of audiences.

(In our latest episode of The Speak Good Podcast, scientist Faith Kearns, Ph.D. talks with Chief Executive Throughliner Brad Phillips about another aspect of science communication – how scientists and the public can more effectively engage with one another about the issues facing us today. Listen now!)

The post A Great Strategy To Simplify (Not “Dumb Down!”) Your Content appeared first on Throughline Group.

Often, those who exude charisma – whether a celebrity, a politician, a business leader, or your kids’ soccer coach – are seen by others as possessing a gift. It’s a magical draw that attracts others to them, to their work, to their ideas, to whatever they are advocating, to their very being. That’s pretty powerful.

Oprah Winfrey is widely considered a charismatic leader. Here, she delivers her acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards on NBC. In it, she uses many of the tactics cited in this post. (Watch the entire speech below.) Screenshot/NBC

Were they born with it?

Probably not. They may have some skills that are natural for them, but research reveals they may have learned how to successfully combine and instinctually use a set of unique emotional, social, and technical skills that feel authentic to them and resonate with others.

Here’s a surprise: charisma isn’t just about how demonstrative you are or the energy you project. It’s also about the rhetorical devices you use, which are powerful contributors to the perception of charisma. How you “speak” nonverbally – your gestures, eye contact, and voice dynamics – is just part of the picture.

A group of researchers at the University of Lausanne identified 12 such skills. They call them “charismatic leadership tactics,” or CLTs.

More importantly, the researchers learned they can be taught. In other words, charisma can be attained through education, practice, and effective implementation.

12 Charismatic Leadership Tactics

In a series of two experiments with two sets of executives, the researchers – John Antonakis, Marika Fenley, and Sue Liechti – identified 12 “tactics” that helped the managers to develop a more charismatic presence, and, in turn, more effectively captivate, motivate, and inspire their audiences.

These techniques helped to make the executives’ words and body language more likely to help them foster a connection with their audiences, appear more “leaderlike,” and to be more successful in influencing and persuading their audiences.

Here are the charismatic leadership tactics:

Literary devices

Charismatic leaders used five literary devices that made their content more effective and compelling.

1. Metaphors, similes, analogies. These devices all use different types of comparisons to help audiences better understand and remember an object, concept, idea, or experience. Some examples:

Metaphor: “Our current approach has us drowning in details.”

Simile: “Launching a new business is like starting a family, building a house, and running a marathon all at once.”

Analogy: Our delivery glitches are like a car with three wheels. Until we get them fixed, we aren’t going anywhere.”

2. Stories and anecdotes. The most effective stories tend to be from real life, are emotionally engaging, support your key messages, and align with your audience’s goals and values.

3. Contrasts. You emphasize differences between two concepts, objects, ideas, or positions. The inherent drama in that dichotomy can make what you say more memorable. (“This latest crisis revealed that we had a great plan, but our execution was a failure.”)

4. The power of “three.” It’s generally believed that people are predisposed to listen and remember when information comes to them in threes. (“For us to be successful, we need to raise revenues by 10 percent, cut expenses by 15 percent, and give 110 percent toward reaching our individual sales goals.”)

5. Rhetorical questions. Could something as simple as a question be effective? Yes. A question – even if you already know the answer – can encourage your audience to think about what you are saying, draw attention to your point, or help you to persuade your audience on a course of action. (“Have you thought about how emerging technologies are going to change the way you work in five years? Do you have the skills to survive in this new workplace?”)

Emotional connections

The researchers also discovered that the executives who appeared more charismatic used their words to share their aspirations and passions, to highlight connections with their audience, and to build confidence in others. They did that by:

6. Expressing their moral conviction. By linking your messages to a sense of doing what is right, you reveal your character to your audience, as well as help establish credibility.

7. Reflecting the sentiments of the audience in their words. Understand the needs, concerns, wants, and values of your audience and seek areas of common ground, similar background, or shared experiences.

8. Setting lofty goals. It’s a way to share your passion, energize your audience, and inspire others to follow you.

9. Communicating the confidence that they can be achieved. Lofty goals are best met when a speaker offers the reassurance that they can be realized.

Nonverbal cues

Certain types of body language were particularly effective at helping speakers appear more charismatic.

10. Using your voice to its fullest. Beyond the words that you say, your voice can be an incredible tool to help emphasize, give meaning, and provide context to your key points, as well as convey emotion. Simply by altering your pace, tone, pitch, and volume – as well as knowing when to pause – you can better connect with your audience and retain their attention.

11. Letting your face do the talking. Rather than rocking a monotone expression throughout, charismatic speakers smile, widen their eyes, make eye contact, raise their brows, and, in general, use effective facial expressions to relay their enthusiasm and excitement and to reinforce their main points.

12. Gesturing with intent. Gestures can help the audience and the speaker retain and recall of main ideas. (You can learn more about gestures here and overall body language here.)

How many of these techniques can you spot in this video?

Can Anyone Be Charismatic?

We’ve previously delved into the importance of charisma when it comes to building your executive presence, but possessing charisma can be a boon to anyone who hopes to become a more effective and memorable speaker.

As with any skill, it’s going to take some preparation and practice. As we’ve advised in the past, don’t try to tackle all dozen tips at once. Don’t feel the need to wow the crowd with analogy after analogy or one expressive brow raise after another. These should feel natural, or at least increasingly feel more natural, as you use them in subsequent talks.

And remember, these are not the only techniques or tactics you can use – a point the researchers concede. They are simply part of a bigger toolbox of strategies and tips you can use to become a better public speaker.

The post 12 Ways to Boost Your Charisma (Study) appeared first on Throughline Group.

Photo by kyle smith on Unsplash

One of the more maddening glitches of any presentation – virtual or in-person – is a speaker who is hard to hear. How can you effectively train employees, persuade investors to buy in, or sell potential clients on your latest product if they struggle to make out what it is that you are saying?

Beyond the obvious shortcomings such audio difficulties produce – anxious co-workers and lost opportunities – recent research reveals that your audience will judge you and your content less favorably when audio is sub-par.

First, let’s delve into the research that shows why this is so important. Second, we’ll get into some specific recommendations on how to achieve a clearer and cleaner sound, whether you are giving a virtual or in-person talk.

Poor Audio = Poor Message Reception

Through two experiments, psychologists Eryn Newman and Norbert Schwartz set out to discover if audiences would judge identical content differently based on the technical merits of the transmission. Spoiler alert: They did.

For the first experiment, the researchers divvied up nearly 100 participants to watch talks given on YouTube about a physics or engineering topic. The researchers altered some to create more muddled audio, and adjusted others to increase the clarity of the speaker’s voice. In other words, one group saw a “good” version of the physics talk and a “bad” engineering clip. Another saw a high-quality engineering talk and a poor-quality physics talk.

The big-picture result was this: The technical quality of the recording had the power to alter the audience’s take on the credibility and qualifications of the researcher, as well as the validity of the research itself.

Despite the fact that the researchers were presenting the same content in the videos, they were rated as a better speaker and presenter when the audio was clearer. As the presenters note:

“When the video was difficult to hear, viewers thought that the talk was worse, the speaker less intelligent and less likeable, and the research less important …. Whoever had the better audio quality was considered the better speaker and researcher, working on a more important project.”

The second experiment may have been even more telling. The presentations in the first experiment were given by graduate students in a nondescript conference. Given the audience had little context as to the presenters’ expertise or quality of their research, Newman and Schwartz wanted to see how credibility might affect an audience’s reaction to audio.

They did just that.

Using two radio interviews that aired on NPR’s Science Friday (one on physics and one on genetics), they kept the original, high-quality version and then altered one to make it sound as if the guest called in on a fuzzy phone line. As the researchers discovered, the participants’ reactions to the high- and poor-quality audio interviews resulted in a similar outcome. Participants still reacted to the researcher and the research less favorably when it was harder to hear them – despite the mantle of credibility the news program offered.

Their findings add to an existing body of data that the way a message is delivered can be as important as the message itself. Certain challenges or obstacles thrown in the way of your audience’s ability to assess the message – any extra work they have to do cognitively to figure it out – can have an impact on how they judge the validity of what you have to say, as well whether they can trust you. For instance, some researchers have discovered that people are less likely to believe someone who talks in an accent that is difficult to understand or has a name that is difficult to pronounce.

Clearly, it doesn’t take much to poke a hole in your message and your credibility.

Getting Your Audio Right

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Given there are many variables that you can’t control, it’s important to focus on the ones that you can. Help to make your message more compelling and more likely to stick with the right audio set-up.

If you are giving virtual presentations …

• Remember that audiences are more likely to forgive glitchy video than audio. If you have been using your computer’s built-in mic, consider an upgrade to an external mic, such as a lavalier microphone, a freestanding mic, or a headset – one that is not too obtrusive on camera.
• Find a quiet room or space without background noises if possible. If you are transmitting in a space that you share with others, make sure they know you are presenting.
• Try to set up your in-home studio in a room or space with drapes, carpets, furniture, or other material, such as blankets and quilts. You want to prevent the sound waves from bouncing around the room and creating feedback. Rooms with objects made of soft, porous material will better absorb sound and make for a clear sound.
• If you are calling in to a radio show or podcast, try to avoid doing it on a speakerphone or smartphone. Ideally, you have connected to the internet by plugging into your router using an ethernet cord – rather than relying on Wi-Fi – and you are using an external mic attached to your computer.
• Offer fair warning if you are concerned about your connection or the wi-fi capacities of your audience. Perhaps you might mention that you have created takeaway materials that you can send in case the audio drops, or you experience other technical difficulties.

(You can find additional tips for virtual presentations here.)

If you are giving in-person presentations …

• Will you be moving around the room? Are you stuck behind a lectern? If given a choice, determine what mic works best for the room setup, format, and audience size – and do this well before your talk.
• Be wary of your attire. Is your tie or scarf or some other accessory scraping or rustling against your lavalier mic? (This goes for virtual presentations, too.) You can check these technical hiccups and others by saving time before the presentation to test the audio.

You can learn more about the right mic for your presentation here.

A Sound Decision

After more than a year of relying on virtual classrooms, conferences, meetings, and webinars to keep our professional, educational, and personal lives moving forward amid a pandemic, it doesn’t appear as if we are completely ready to abandon the virtual world just yet.

In just one example, a recent survey conducted by the journal Nature revealed that although researchers are weary of some of the drawbacks associated with virtual conferences – hello, Zoom fatigue! – nearly three-quarters of the 900 people polled thought scientific meetings should continue to be virtual, or partially virtual, even after the pandemic ends.

Whether you are an expert in your field, a passionate advocate for your cause, or an energetic salesperson for your company’s line of products, be smart about the amplification you choose to share your content – your message and credibility may just be riding on it.

The post Study: Your Bad Audio Makes You Sound Dumber appeared first on Throughline Group.

The podcast’s tagline, “Using the Power of Communication for Good,” tells the story of what we’re striving to achieve.

Over what we hope will be a long run, host Brad Phillips will discuss challenging subjects through the lens of communication.

As examples, we’ll discuss how better communication can help to:

• Counter misinformation
• Bridge racial divides
• Build stronger companies and organizations
• Transcend ideological bubbles
• Manage the imposter syndrome
• Use ethical persuasion for social good
• …and a lot more

In our inaugural episode, Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) joins us to discuss his recent article, “Republicans Smear Me on Fox News, Then Want to Grab Dinner.”

If this sounds like your type of podcast, we’d be grateful if you would subscribe right now so you don’t miss a single episode (see links below). 

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The post Announcing The Speak Good Podcast appeared first on Throughline Group.