Hello!
Let’s take a look at some actionable takeaways from our latest social skills checklist.
5 Social Skills Every Entrepreneur needs to Master
1. Reframe your anxiety as excitement
Dr. Amy Cuddy, an executive education educator at Harvard University, wrote about this phenomenon in her New York Times bestselling book Presence.
She states”by just reframing the significance of the emotion we are suffering — by nudging ourselves out of anxiety to enthusiasm — we change our emotional orientation, harnessing the cognitive and physiological tools we will need to be successful under stress. We efficiently alter our point fright into stage presence”
Therefore, the next time you are feeling anxious prior to sharing your message, give a nudge and reframe your nervousness as delight.
2. Listen, don’t pseudo-listen
We believe we understand exactly what it means to hear. After we’re hearing harsh news we ask clarifying questions. We paraphrase. We change our bodies and eyes towards whoever is talking and from distractions. We provide our full, undivided care
But we believe we are listening when we are actually:
- Sparring, debating, or disagreeing
- Comparing or passing judgment
- Rushing to find a character flaw
- Thinking of your next response
- Filtering or listening only for what you want to hear
The issue with all of those listening choices is that there is no actual advantage to be had — such as your speaker for you personally, the intended listener. 1 side is not discovered, and you, the listener, are not informed or contested. This is the way the point for miscommunication is put. Be mindful of if you are pseudo-listening, which means that you are able to fix it and refocus.
3. Make your inner thoughts clear
Nobel prize winner George Bernard Shaw once said that”the single largest problem with communication is the illusion it has taken place.” Appropriate communication abilities are vital for entrepreneurs and leaders, and much more so during times of doubt. It is what keeps everyone together, while dysfunctional direction leaves teams misaligned and fragmented.
Here’s how to make sure you’re properly communicating:
- Be immediate, direct, and clear about your thoughts and feelings.
- Don’t let negative (or positive) feedback simmer; speak up now.
- Focus on being heard, not provoking, calling other parties to arms.
- Don’t send mixed messages; align your words and tone of voice.
- Distinguish between facts and your feelings about a situation.
4. Focus on what you say and how you say it
Were you aware communication is just 7% verbal? Meanwhile, 38 percent is nested on your vocal shipping, such as articulation, pitch, and tone. And, like the moon on the tides, outspoken delivery exerts a concealed power on which you state and also can turn your regular speech to an incantation.
- Believe in yourself. You’re not an imposter. You deserve to be here.
- Breathe and speak from your diaphragm, not your chest or throat.
- Don’t speak with your mouth shut. Open up your body and mouth.
- Ground yourself with an erect posture and plant yourself firmly.
- Don’t be afraid to use your hands and gestures to add emphasis.
5. Speak slower and embrace the silence
Yet most folks dread silence. Fear not. Rather, adopt it and leverage it to drive the point home.
Much like the very first tip on reframing stress as enthusiasm, step to silence with confidence.
Bear in Mind the following:
- Utilize the silence for a time to write yourself, collect your ideas, and keep speaking.
- Take it like an opportunity to listen, ask clarifying questions, and raise your understanding.
To summarize, it is okay to become anxious or nervous prior to sharing information. If you did not care, you would not think like that. But reframe that stress as enthusiasm, and into a chance to be powerful.
Challenge yourself by listening carefully, and that means it is possible to enlarge your comprehension of the facts and keep in mind, folks who never hear learn. And, if it is time to talk, speak your mind with clarity.
Thank you!
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