From the course: Nano Tips to Prepare for Public Speaking with Nausheen I. Chen

Never be misunderstood again

From the course: Nano Tips to Prepare for Public Speaking with Nausheen I. Chen

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Never be misunderstood again

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But that's not what I meant. Getting misunderstood can cost you your relationships. It can cost you that next client deal. But more than that, it can cost you trust that you've worked hard at building. And you know what's scarier? What if you don't even know that you're being misunderstood when you speak? So here are three ways to make sure that you communicate crystal clear, if that's the term, and are never misunderstood again. First, check for all the assumptions that you might be making, and you'd be surprised at how many there are. How many times do you think to yourself, "Wait, they already know this, right?" "They understand this." "I don't need to go over this." When in doubt, explain. 2: Use simple words and logic. This one is weird because it's so obvious and we think we know it, but when we actually start speaking or presenting, that's when we start using complicated words, industry jargon, or we start speaking the way that we write. You should write the way you speak, but not speak the way you write, unless henceforth you shall be misunderstood thereafter by all parties concerned. 3: Work on your tone. You've heard this before. People forget what you say, but they remember how you made them feel. Are you getting so caught up with the stress of client deadlines that you're offloading all that stress in your tone and the way that you speak with your team? Or are you so self-conscious when you speak in front of an audience that you forget to show your real self when you're presenting? Think of yourself as a bridge between what you know and what you want your audience to know. Build that bridge with simplicity and clarity.

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