| Your ability to make an emotional connection during | | | | what they mean. Avoid using words, technical jargon |
| communication, either with a group or individual, will | | | | or phrases until you clarify with your listeners exactly |
| have a direct impact on your effectiveness to | | | | what they mean. It is very easy to send completely |
| communicate and influence your listeners. Making an | | | | different messages to different people when you use |
| emotional connection will also build trust into the | | | | words that are not understandable and their meanings |
| speaker-listener relationship. Listed below are 10 tips to | | | | are not known. |
| help communicators make an emotional connection | | | | 6) Appearance: Periodically take some time to |
| with their listeners. | | | | evaluate what message you are sending to your |
| 1) Eye Communication: The eyes are the windows to | | | | listeners based on your neatness, hygiene and |
| the soul we are told. In other words, we can see the | | | | organization. How organized do you appear to be? |
| intention or the heart of the individual through their | | | | What does your clothing look like? Are your hands |
| eyes. It is very easy to speak in a matter of fact way | | | | clean? What do you smell like, after-shave or perfume, |
| during a speech and if you think that listeners don't pick | | | | or something else? Many individuals place high value on |
| up on this you'd only kidding yourself. Communicators | | | | the impressions that you give them that are based on |
| must have the right eyes for the right task. Just as you | | | | visual and sensory perceptions only. |
| would want to have a powerful aura of intent when | | | | 7) Voice and Vocal Variety: I think that we have all |
| competing in sports, you want to have a trusting, | | | | had to endure sitting through lectures in college or |
| patient and attentive eyes coming through to your | | | | business where the speaker spoke in such a |
| students during a seminar. Make eye contact, maintain | | | | monotone and uninteresting manner that our greatest |
| eye contact and use the language of eye contact to | | | | challenge was just to stay awake. Learn something |
| increase your effectiveness as a communicator. | | | | from this experience. Vary your voice intensity and |
| 2) Gestures: This is another area of non-verbal | | | | range throughout your address. If it's a powerful point in |
| communication that others will pick up on and you | | | | the lesson then verbalize the point in a powerful |
| should pay particularly close attention. Ask yourself | | | | manner. A dangerous point in the message can be |
| "what are my gestures actually communicating to the | | | | conveyed by the dangerous tone of your voice. If you |
| listeners?" If your message is oriented around power, | | | | are purposeful to synchronize your voice range and |
| are your hand movements powerful? If the message | | | | intensity with the content of your message you can |
| is fluidity and grace, do your hand movements reflect | | | | add an effective element of depth to your |
| this? Gestures will increase your productivity to get | | | | communication. |
| your message across if you pay attention to, and use | | | | 8) Feedback: When you are involved in a seminar for |
| the gestures as a learning tool. | | | | example, make time for various opportunities where |
| 3) Movement and Posture: Where gestures are the | | | | you will ask the listeners questions so that they can |
| specifics, movement and posture is a general form of | | | | give you feedback. This will get people involved, give |
| non-verbal communication. Do you look interested or | | | | them a sense of contributing and will give you an |
| bored? Are you standing defensive posture with your | | | | opportunity to measure whether they understand the |
| arms crossed? Are you leaning on the podium? | | | | main points of your message or not. Sometimes |
| Movement and posture becomes incredibly important, | | | | individuals just need to talk it out to produce the final |
| when others are looking for feedback. You need to | | | | mental organization they need to learn or understand. |
| stand as if you are alert, paying attention and | | | | Listener feedback will add a dimension of clarity and |
| interested in what they have to say and contribute. | | | | effectiveness if you utilize it properly. |
| You need to move as if you are motivated, | | | | 9) Use Age Specific Language: When engaged in |
| enthusiastic and involved. If there is dialog you don't | | | | speaking to adults, you can use the language that |
| want to give participants non-verbal signals that they | | | | most adults will understand, but when speaking with |
| are unimportant and what they have to say and | | | | kids, don't use complicated adult phrases they won't |
| contribute has no value. | | | | understand. When speaking with younger listeners |
| 4) Having a sense of Humor: Some communicators | | | | simplify the language so that they can relate to your |
| think that they need to project a serious posture with | | | | message from their own experience and age level. |
| others at all the times. There are times when a serious | | | | This will take some practice at first, but if you persist in |
| attitude is essential, however, people seek a | | | | adjusting your language to the age group of the |
| relationship with their communicators and this | | | | listener; eventually it will become a natural part of your |
| relationship needs to include moments of humor as | | | | communication abilities. |
| well as serious business. If your message is a serious | | | | 10) Be Natural: This is probably the most difficult for |
| one; lighten things up with a humorous story perhaps, | | | | speakers to achieve in the beginning. There's a lot to |
| this will drop their resistance a bit and then lead into the | | | | remember and a lot to do when giving a speech or |
| serious matters. There are a lot of sources of daily | | | | conducting a seminar. Stay focused, breathe slowly |
| humor that you can share with your listeners and a | | | | and remain relaxed. Remember; as you gain more |
| humorous approach will help you develop a relationship | | | | experience you will become a more fluid and dynamic |
| with them that has more depth. | | | | communicator developing you own natural and |
| 5) Clear Language Communication: As tempting as it | | | | personable communication style which makes an |
| may be to use slang or your own favorite phrases | | | | emotional connection with your listeners. |
| and words, make sure that your listeners understand | | | | |