How can you involve other people in preparing for a presentation you’re giving? What are your particular speaking strengths?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking is a skill that’s in demand in every field. In The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication<\/em>, internationally renowned speaker John C. Maxwell shares his secrets to becoming a confident and effective communicator capable of delivering any message to any audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read more for an overview of this practical book<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n According to Maxwell, anyone can master public speaking by following The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication<\/em><\/a> he\u2019s developed from a lifetime of public speaking. When you follow his advice on how to craft a powerful message and connect with your audience<\/a>, you\u2019ll be able to influence others<\/a> and make a lasting impact with your words in all areas of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maxwell is an acclaimed speaker, leadership expert, and a New York Times<\/em> bestselling author. Since discovering his passion for speaking as a pastor, Maxwell estimates that he\u2019s spoken over 13,000 times throughout his career. He has founded several leadership training organizations, such as the Maxwell Leadership Foundation<\/a> and EQUIP Leadership<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve organized and consolidated Maxwell\u2019s 16 laws into three parts. First, we\u2019ll cover the key characteristics you need to become an authentic and credible communicator. Next, we\u2019ll explore Maxwell\u2019s strategies for preparing for your presentation and crafting your message. Lastly, we\u2019ll discuss methods to engage and connect with your audience when delivering your message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Maxwell, effective communication starts with the speaker: Your identity, actions, and values affect the way you speak and how others view you.<\/strong> Before you can sway your audience with your words, you must first win them over with your character. According to Maxwell, effective speakers have three characteristics: They focus on connection, develop their credibility, and pursue constant learning<\/a>. In this section, we’ll look at how to develop these three characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Maxwell, your primary goal when communicating should be to connect with your audience and to provide them with valuable and meaningful content.<\/strong> Connection is crucial because it breaks down barriers that prevent people from listening to you, which makes them more receptive to you and your ideas. To build a connection with your audience, Maxwell suggests you give them your full focus when speaking\u2014pay attention to their needs instead of trying to make yourself or your message appear flawless. People won\u2019t care about your words if they don\u2019t believe you care about them<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To show the audience that you care, actively put yourself in their shoes: Consider what they feel, think, and desire, and make them feel valued in ways that are important to them. You can do this by interacting with them, expressing your gratitude, or celebrating their accomplishments. Maxwell suggests you make your audience more receptive to you by removing mental and physical barriers. For instance, be friendly and create a comfortable atmosphere so that your audience feels at ease. Or, instead of standing behind a large podium, try sitting by the edge of the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you focus on your audience and make them feel good, you make a positive first impression, Maxwell writes. When your audience feels positive about you, they will naturally like you more and be more open to your ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To become a compelling speaker, you must establish your credibility\u2014your trustworthiness and believability.<\/strong> When audiences view you this way, they\u2019ll take you more seriously and will be more willing to consider your message. Maxwell suggests several ways to make yourself more credible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Ensure your message matches your true beliefs.<\/strong> To be credible in the eyes of others, you must genuinely believe in the message you\u2019re delivering. Learn to understand and accept your authentic self so you can communicate your true beliefs with consistency and sincerity. When you\u2019re confident in your message, you naturally use more powerful language and convey more emotion. When your audience believes your words are sincere, they\u2019ll be more open to listening to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Support your words with your actions<\/strong>. Follow your own advice before giving it to others. Otherwise, you risk people viewing you as a hypocrite, and they may be less likely to listen to you. For example, if you argue that organization is key to productivity, but you display an obvious lack of organization, your audience won\u2019t be receptive to your message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Develop the necessary expertise to speak about your subject. <\/strong>Maxwell writes that you must first learn, build skills, and become knowledgeable in the area you want to discuss. By dedicating time and effort to becoming competent in your field, people will perceive you as more trustworthy and credible when you present your ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of us assume that good communicators simply have a natural gift. Maxwell argues, however, that this isn\u2019t true: Speaking well in front of an audience requires dedicated practice, and you must treat it as a lifelong learning<\/a> endeavor.<\/strong> Effective speakers know that there are always better ways to connect with their audiences and deliver more engaging messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To continually learn and improve your communication skills<\/a>, Maxwell offers two tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Learn from others<\/a>. <\/strong>Good communication takes time and experience. By watching other speakers, you can learn from their experiences and gain new ideas more quickly than if you practice your speaking skills through trial and error alone. Make use of a variety of resources\u2014attend a TED Talk, watch YouTube videos, or read transcripts of historical speeches, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Grow your knowledge. <\/strong>Maxwell suggests you continually research new topics and try new experiences to gain fresh perspectives and ideas that you can speak about. Collect quotes, stories, facts, and other information that resonate with you in your daily life. This ensures you have a well of good content that you can draw upon when needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know the three characteristics of an effective speaker<\/a>, let\u2019s discuss how you can prepare for your presentation and create a strong message. According to Maxwell, even experienced speakers prepare extensively before speaking in front of an audience. Being well-prepared not only improves your ability to connect with and bring value to your audience, but it also helps you develop your communication skills as you reflect on your ideas and plan your approach. Maxwell presents several ways to create a compelling message and prepare for your presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maxwell suggests you gather a team of people to help you brainstorm ideas<\/a> for your message and prepare for your presentation.<\/strong> He recommends finding people who are open to new ideas, are flexible when tackling problems, and believe that there are many different ways to solve a problem. Maxwell argues that groups often come up with better ideas than individuals. When you brainstorm by yourself, you can only work from a single perspective. When you collaborate with others, you have access to diverse experiences and insights, which can help you recognize blind spots in your thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When brainstorming<\/a>, encourage people to come up with as many ideas as they can. Maxwell argues that there are no bad ideas\u2014every thought can be a springboard for greater ideas. You can also have your team ask you challenging questions so you can identify and address potential flaws in your arguments from the beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you write your message, it may be helpful to identify your natural speaking strengths so you can build them into your presentation. <\/strong>While learning from other speakers can give you techniques and methods to experiment with, you should write your message in your own voice. If you try to take an approach that doesn\u2019t come naturally to you, like revealing a personal story that you\u2019re not comfortable sharing, you risk losing your connection with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maxwell writes that there are four primary strengths you can leverage. Identify which ones come most naturally to you and emphasize them in your presentation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Sincerity: <\/strong>You communicate with authenticity and vulnerability. This might mean sharing stories of your personal struggles and expressing your true emotions. When you open yourself to your audience, they\u2019ll find it easier to trust you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Humor<\/strong>: If you\u2019re naturally funny, try incorporating jokes into your message. Laughter increases feelings of intimacy in your audience and makes them more receptive to your words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Helpfulness<\/strong>: If you\u2019re motivated to help people, focus on offering more practical advice. People appreciate and think more highly of you when you give them the tools to improve their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Inspiration<\/strong>: If you tend to see the best in others, you can use your words to inspire them. When you help others envision a better life and show them that it\u2019s achievable, they\u2019ll feel better about themselves and be more willing to hear what you have to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you’ve prepared for your presentation with your team and identified your strengths, write your ideas into a clear and engaging message<\/strong> that will make a lasting impression. Maxwell describes several steps for turning your research and preparation into a memorable message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Develop your thesis.<\/strong> This should be a single sentence that sums up your message. Maxwell writes that you must clarify your thesis before communicating anything\u2014if you don\u2019t know your thesis, your audience will have an even harder time understanding it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Research and plan out your talking points. <\/strong>Create a basic outline of your main points and gather supporting material such as data, stories, and ideas. Maxwell recommends you experiment with ways to organize your main points so that the audience sees how they\u2019re all connected: Consider numbering them, arranging them in an acrostic (a word that has each of its letters spelling out a new word or sentence), or using a common word in each of your major points. Once you have your basic organization, you can then sort the supporting material you\u2019ve gathered under the relevant points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3.<\/strong> Plan your transitions. <\/strong>Once you have your main points in order, plan out how you can shift smoothly from one point to the next. At the start of your presentation, don\u2019t just jump into your thesis, but find a way to lead into it. Consider using a quote, telling a story, asking a question, or simply taking time to connect with the audience. As you progress through your presentation, Maxwell suggests using various cues to indicate when you\u2019re transitioning to a new point. Make a note to pause, walk to a different spot in the room, change your facial expressions, or vary the volume, speed, or tone with which you speak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When creating your message, Maxwell suggests you use visual imagery and storytelling to keep your audience engaged as you speak<\/strong>. These strategies make it easier for your audience to grasp your arguments and remember them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, incorporate visuals into your presentation. You can use body language<\/a>, metaphors, or actual visual aids like physical props and imagery to help illustrate your ideas. Maxwell explains that people remember images better than words and that most people are visual learners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, Maxwell suggests you tell the audience a story to make your points more accessible and engaging. He explains that people remember stories because we naturally use stories to make sense of our lives. You can tell stories from your personal life or share the stories of others, but make sure that they\u2019re relevant to your audience and the points you\u2019re trying to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When writing your message, Maxwell recommends you simplify your ideas to be clear, concise, and memorable so that your audience can better understand and remember them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n First, to simplify your message, use language that an eighth grader can understand, and trim excess information that might distract from your main points. <\/strong>Many speakers are afraid of being simplistic, but Maxwell argues that “simple” doesn’t mean you’re watering down your ideas or glossing over complex topics. Instead, “simple” means making your content practical and easy for your audience to understand rather than trying to sound impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, make your message memorable by coming up with unique and catchy phrases. Try putting a spin on well-known sayings, such as changing “Practice makes perfect\u201d to \u201cPractice makes character.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know how to prepare and create your message, let\u2019s shift our focus to speaking in front of an audience. Maxwell offers suggestions on how to connect with your audience, maintain their attention, and make a lasting impression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Maxwell, your mindset, energy, and feelings affect how your audience receives you and your message. The more you believe in yourself<\/a> and your speaking ability, the more your audience will.<\/strong> To be a more powerful communicator, Maxwell encourages you to adopt two beliefs:1. Believe in your ability to communicate. <\/strong>Your self-confidence affects how you perform in front of an audience. If you show that you\u2019re nervous, your audience will be more concerned about you than your message. Maxwell suggests you start small and develop a mantra: a short affirming statement to remind yourself that you\u2019re able to communicate well and make a difference with your words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Believe you can help your audience. <\/strong>When you believe your message can positively impact people\u2019s lives, your audience will sense your passion and become more excited about your ideas. Maxwell also suggests believing that your audience wants <\/em>to learn from you. If you approach your speech with the mindset that people are eager to listen, your words will be more encouraging. On the other hand, if you doubt that anyone\u2019s interested in what you have to say, your words may lack conviction and be less persuasive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we discussed earlier, preparation is essential to communicating your message to an audience. However, this doesn\u2019t mean sticking rigidly to a script. Situations change and unexpected obstacles arise. To communicate well, you must measure how the audience is responding to you and adapt on the spot to engage audiences that are indifferent or distracted.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you\u2019re scheduled to speak, Maxwell recommends you get a better sense of how your audience might respond to you by inspecting the location ahead of time and considering the type of event you\u2019re speaking at. Look at factors such as lighting, sound, the location of projector screens, and the overall setup and size of the room. This allows you to rearrange or correct anything or, at the very least, get clues as to whether the audience will be comfortable and engaged or reluctant and unresponsive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If, during your talk, you read the room and notice that the audience is unengaged, here are a few suggestions on how to recapture their attention on the fly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Interact with the audience. <\/strong>Get the audience to interact by asking questions that require them to shout out answers or raise their hands. You can also encourage them to say or share something with a neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Do something unexpected.<\/strong> If you notice your audience is losing interest, Maxwell suggests you be spontaneous and do something that the audience didn\u2019t anticipate to grab their attention. For example, you could bring your pet or young child on stage if they inspired one of your ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Use pauses strategically.<\/strong> Pauses can help emphasize your point and give audience members time to process your message. You can also pause to recapture people\u2019s attention. When you stop talking, people naturally return their focus to you as they wonder what caused the sudden silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maxwell writes that the ultimate goal of a speaker is for your audience to take action after hearing your message.<\/strong> Speaking to people doesn\u2019t directly<\/em> change their lives\u2014your words must drive them to make a change. Maxwell recommends several ways you can convince your audience to take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Tell personal stories.<\/strong> Encourage people to take action by sharing stories about how you <\/em>acted upon your advice. Your personal stories can act as proof of how your message works in real life. For example, if you tell your audience to meditate for an hour every day and explain how you came up with your lucrative business idea during one of your meditative sessions, people will be more motivated<\/a> to heed your advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOverview of The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Part 1: How to Become an Authentic and Credible Speaker<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Communicate for Connection<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Strengthen Your Credibility<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Be a Lifelong Learner<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Part 2: How to Prepare For Your Presentation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Team Up With Others<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Identify Your Natural Strengths<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Write Your Message<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Engage Your Audience With Visuals and Stories<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Simplify Your Message<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Part 3: How to Deliver Your Message<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Believe in Yourself and Your Audience<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Read the Room and Adapt<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Inspire People to Take Action<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n